How Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman fooled a documentary crew with a DUMMY front cover to keep her Duchess of Cambridge shoot a secret

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A film director has revealed how Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman managed to keep her Duchess of Cambridge magazine cover a secret for four months, despite being followed by a documentary crew.

In the second part of Richard Macer's fly-on-the-wall documentary, Absolutely Fashion: Inside British Vogue, which aired last night, Shulman was filmed holding a meeting with her creative director Jaime Perlman to discuss the anniversary issue front cover.

And as the pair pored over a series of white covers with graphics of 'Vogue 100' on them, there was no hint that it was all an elaborate ploy to cover up the fact the royal would be covering the centenary issue.  

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A documentary airing tonight reveals how Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman managed to keep the magazine's historic cover shoot with the Duchess of Cambridge under wraps, despite being followed by a film crew

Creative director Jaime Perlman created a set of dummy front covers featuring a graphic, but there was no hint that they would not be used for the final issue 

Shulman admired the covers, describing one as 'beautiful'.  

But Macer questioned why there was no cover star, asking: 'Was it always your idea to have it as a graphic?'

'Well I just feel it's very hard to pick a person who can encapsulate 100 years of Vogue,' Shulman replied. 

'And we've done very well with...celebration issues have historically had a single figure on them. In a way, continuing with the trend that's a familiar one.

Jaime Perlman, Vogue's creative director showing editor Alexandra Shulman the dummy front covers she created for the centenary issue 

Later in the film Macer expressed his shock that Shulman had pulled the wool over his eyes.  

He said: 'She actively lied. More than that, she developed an elaborate ruse. 

'Trust. It's a critical ingredient in any successful documentary. 

Alexandra Shulman (left) and Jaime Perlman held a meeting to discuss a graphic front cover for Vogue's centenary issue, but film director Richard Macer had no idea it was all a ploy 

'My job is to make the contributor feel them can speak openly and honestly in an unfettered way. 

'But for some reason Alex felt she couldn't tell me about the royal photo shoot. It wasn't just a case of withholding information. 

Later he confronted Shulman about the cover and she responded: 'Good liar, right?'

'Did you feel a bit awkward?' he asked. 

Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, pictured at a meeting with staff. She managed to keep Kate's cover shoot a closely guarded secret for months with only a few key members of staff in the loop 

She replied: 'No I didn't.'

Kate, 34, was the cover star of Vogue for its 100th anniversary edition - the first time she had ever posed for a magazine photo shoot. 

And the editor managed to keep the cover under wraps for months, despite being followed by a film crew. 

Macer explains that he was told Shulman, 58, would make an important announcement on 28 April.

The Duchess was the cover star of the magazine's centenary issue, the first time she'd ever posed for a fashion photo shoot 

'I'm told I must not discuss this with anyone, even Alex,' he said. 

He admitted that his instinct was that the long-standing editor, who has been at the helm for 24 years, was going to announce her resignation. 

'I can't stop thinking about this surprise announcement,' he said of the longest-serving editor of British Vogue. 

'Maybe she's going to tell everyone she's leaving. I think it's a surprise party for her staff to say thanks for all their hard work.'  

The first he knew of the Duchess posing for the magazine was on the morning of the big announcement.

He was taken to a secret location in central London and escorted down a long corridor.

Editor Alexandra Shulman arrives for the Gala to celebrate the Vogue 100 Festival at Kensington Gardens in London in May this year

'I've been speculating quite a lot about what she's going to say but the truth is, I have no clue,' he said.

Finally he stepped into a room and realised he was in the main area of the National Portrait Gallery. 

There was no sign of Shulman, but all became clear when he saw two portraits of the Duchess of Cambridge being hung on the wall. 

The Duchess of Cambridge, visits the Vogue 100: A Century of Style exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery to see the results of her photo shoot with the magazine 

Filmmaker Richard Macer admits that when he heard Alexandra was making an announcement, he thought she might be stepping down. She's the longest serving editor of British Vogue

Macer admitted he was impressed by how she'd managed to get the Duchess on the cover and realised his thoughts about her stepping aside were way off the mark.  

'The centenary issue is selling like hot cakes and Alex is still at the top of her game.

'Far from announcing her retirement, she'd pulled off the scoop of the year,' he said. 

The longest-standing editor of British Vogue did admit that she'd been waking up at 3am feeling stressed as the publication of the centenary edition approached.

'I've never seemed like someone who carries stress with me,' she said. 'But I do.' 

'I feel a huge sense of responsibility to deliver. I just want to do what I think should be done.'