Kim Kardashian "never thought in a million years" that she'd be on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine's swimsuit issue

She told the publication: "I vividly remember Tyra Banks on the cover and women with curves, I remember thinking that was just so cool. But I still thought you had to be a professional model and a runway model.

"It was always really young girls. I don't want to date myself or sound old. But in my 40s? That's crazy! I never thought in a million years that I would be shooting one myself."

Kim is one of four cover models, joining singer Ciara, rising model Yumi Nu, and model and activist Maye Musk.

MJ Day, SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief said: "The journey we've been on - to break out of the mold the world put us in - may sound familiar. It's certainly familiar to the women we've chosen to be our cover models: Maye, Ciara, Yumi, Kim.

"At course, Kim, no stranger to the world's judgment, continues to live proudly, authentically and unapologetically through the noise."

In her cover story, the 'Kardashians' star - who has North, eight, Saint, six, Chicago, four, and three-year-old Psalm with ex-husband Kanye West - wrote a letter to her younger self for how she's grown and changed.

She wrote: "It's easy to say to just ignore the criticism, but another thing you'll learn is that at some point it will click in your head that it's not about you anymore. It's about family. It's about helping other people.

"For years you'll be putting yourself out there... But you're going to become a more private person and you're going to come to realise that the way to get your story out there-the actual narrative, the truth-isn't by engaging but by doing."

And Kim told herself she still hasn't achieved contentment because she's always looking for something new.

She added: "But know this. When you get here, to May 2022, you're not going to be content. You're still going to be looking for that next "it...And when you find it, you're going to do it - we're going to do it - like we always do: to the fullest."