The Queen and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe among Harper’s Bazaar winners
Actress Viola Davis and rapper Little Simz were also honoured at the ceremony on Thursday.
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Your support makes all the difference.The Queen and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe have been honoured among the winners at Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year Awards.
The luxury fashion magazine’s annual ceremony, which took place at Claridge’s in London, was presented by Nicholas Hoult, Lashana Lynch and Lesley Manville as well as other stars.
Harper’s Bazaar named The Queen – who died in September – Woman of the Year, celebrating her compassion, courage and level-headed leadership as the UK’s longest-serving monarch.
Lydia Slater, the editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, said: “Our talented winners have made some extraordinary contributions to the realms of fashion, film, art, literature, music and activism.
“We are delighted to have been able to celebrate these truly inspirational women in the company of our friends and supporters.”
Zaghari-Ratcliffe was honoured with the inspiration award after being imprisoned in Iran for six years before her release earlier this year.
Actress Viola Davis, who won the icon award, spoke to Harper’s Bazaar before the evening, saying: “When I’m at home I don’t feel like an icon.
“I’m always looking at little Viola who wet the bed and was just trying to find a meal every day and thinking, ‘OK, now I’m an icon?'”
She also spoke about her role in The Woman King, which is inspired by the true story of the Agojie, an all-female army who fought to protect the west African kingdom of Dahomey with their formidable skills.
“When I was a little girl, I always imagined being in a movie like this,” the 57-year-old said.
“You watch Gladiator or Wonder Woman and you see yourself in them, but then you’re never sent those scripts.
“When you get a story like The Woman King, it resuscitates you. I’m dark-skinned, I have a deep voice.
“My whole life, I’ve been told that I’m too strong, too masculine. We redefine what it means to be feminine in this movie. It liberated me.”
The 2022 Mercury Music Prize and Brit Award winner Little Simz, 28, who received the musician award, spoke to the magazine about being guided by a higher power.
She said: “It’s my personal belief that I’m one human being, and it doesn’t feel right for me to take credit for all these gifts I’ve got… I’ve got to be blessed somehow.
“There have been shows where I’ve on the verge of passing out, or throwing up, and I feel like it wasn’t just me that got me through the performance.
“I always feel like something has got my back, is holding me up, caring for me – and has plans for me. For me, it just helps knowing that this is over and above me – it’s not actually about me.”
Anya Taylor-Joy also received the actress award for her unwavering commitment to creativity, lighting up screens with performances including in this year’s The Northman and The Menu.
American-British actress Sienna Miller, Euphoria’s Maude Apatow, model Lauren Wasser, Dior’s first female creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri and writer Kate Atkinson were also honoured.
The full interviews with Davis and Little Simz are in the December/January issue of Harper’s Bazaar, on sale from Friday.