As some cast doubt on statements made by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry during their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey Sunday, the Duchess of Sussex’s close friend, Janina Gavankar, says there are “emails and texts” to support their claims. Gavankar appeared on ITV’s This Morning on Wednesday to address the shocking 90-minute interview, which she says she watched with the royal couple, and weighed in on the discussions now taking place, even taking on the Queen’s statement released Tuesday.
In that statement, the first from Buckingham Palace since the interview, the Queen said the royal family was “saddened” to learn the “full extent” of the couples’ challenges. It added that the issues raised, especially over race, were “concerning” and would be addressed by the royal family. Although the statement acknowledged the difficulties the couple faced, it also noted that “some recollections may vary.” After reading the statement, Gavankar said she “thought two things.”
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“I’m so thankful that they are finally acknowledging the experience, but on the other side, I know that the family and staff were well aware of the extent of it,” she said, according to Entertainment Tonight. “And though their recollections may vary, ours don’t because we lived through it with them. And there are many emails and texts to support that.”
While Gavankar said she does not know how many people in the institution were aware of what the royal couple went through behind closed doors, including Markle’s revelation that she experienced suicidal thoughts and the couple’s admission that a royal family member had “concerns and conversations” about “how dark” son Archie’s skin tone would be, she said “the family and the staff knew.” She added that as a friend, she was “worried, terrified, and sad” when Markle turned to friends and her husband with her troubling thoughts after the “intuition” said they couldn’t help her.
During the interview, which Gavankar said the couple knew she was doing, she also addressed a recent report from The Times alleging that a bullying complaint was filed against Markle. She said she has known Markle “for 17 years and I have seen the way that she regards the people around her and I can say she’s not a bully,” adding that she can “also say that I am personally glad that people are doing their due diligence because I also know why someone had to leave and it was for gross misconduct.”
Gavankar went on to deny claims that Markle and Harry did the interview to damage the royal family, instead sharing that she believes “it was just finally a chance to tell their truth.” She also revealed that since the interview, the couple “are feeling free. It’s nice to see them feel free. And now they can get back to what they really were focused on.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.
