She has been the doyenne of New York society since taking over as editor of American Vogue in 1988.

But now Dame Anna Wintour appears ready to re-embrace her British roots and is actively house-hunting in London, The Mail on Sunday has learned.

Dame Anna, 73, who was famously the inspiration for Meryl Streep’s demanding editor in The Devil Wears Prada, has told friends she is seeking a permanent home in the capital and has been looking at properties in upmarket areas of West and North London.

The Hampstead-born magazine icon, who owns an imposing four-storey townhouse in Manhattan and a 42-acre estate on Long Island, spent much of this summer in London, enjoying the tennis at Wimbledon and dining out with close friend, Love Actually star Bill Nighy.

A friend in New York said: ‘Anna spends a lot of time jetting across the Atlantic but she is now looking for a permanent base in London. 

Dame Anna (left), 73, spent much of this summer in London, enjoying the tennis at Wimbledon and dining out with close friend, Love Actually star Bill Nighy (right)

READ MORE: The highest of honours for Dame Anna Wintour: Vogue editor and author Ian McEwan lead first Birthday Honours of King Charles’s reign

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Her children have grown up and, far from stepping things down at work, she’s busier than ever.

‘She’s been talking about looking for a house in London. 

‘Her only demand is that the new house either has a tennis court or is close to one. Tennis is her passion.’

While a spokesman for publishers Conde Nast last night said there was ‘absolutely no truth’ she is actively house-hunting, Dame Anna’s friends insist that she is. 

‘It’s 100 per cent true. She loves London and is planning to spend even more time in the city,’ one said.

Wintour was educated at the fee-paying North London Collegiate School, while her father Charles was a long-serving editor of the London Evening Standard and helped get her a job at the influential Biba boutique when she was just 15.

Her return to London comes as the editor of British Vogue, Edward Enninful – once seen as her heir – moves on to another position in the company. 

The source said: ‘Anna’s loving her job more than ever. 

‘She plans to spend more time in the UK and will oversee not just British Vogue, but all the European issues too. 

‘Anna will be the undisputed boss. She has seen off many rivals and continues to do so.’

Dame Anna, who was famously the inspiration for Meryl Streep’s demanding editor in The Devil Wears Prada, owns a 42-acre estate on Long Island (pictured)

The Hampstead-born magazine icon owns an imposing four-storey townhouse in Manhattan (pictured)

Last week, Dame Anna announced Vogue World, a UK version of New York’s prestigious Met Gala to launch London Fashion Week this month. 

Celebrities will join opera stars and ballerinas to raise millions for London’s arts scene.

A London home would bring her closer to Nighy, 73. The actor, who lives in Pimlico, escorted her to this year’s Met Gala but his spokesman said: ‘Bill and Anna have simply been friends for two decades. They are not in a relationship.’

A source said: ‘Everyone goes on about how famously frosty Anna can be but she’s been delightful recently. Her mood seems to improve when she’s in London.’