Meghan Markle's Friend Janina Gavankar Spills Royal Wedding Details

Actress opens up about the royal wedding and exclusive after party

By Meg Swertlow May 26, 2018 9:18 PMTags
Janina Gavankar, Royal Wedding, ArrivalsPool/Max Mumby/Getty Images

Meghan Markle's longtime friend Janina Gavankar shared some new royal wedding details—and we, like the Depeche Mode song once said, just can't get enough!

In a new interview with Town & Country, the 37-year-old spilled some deets on Meghan and Prince Harry's nuptials, like why it some of the 600 lucky guests at St George's Chapel kept having giggle fits during the ceremony.

Turns out that the laughter was due to the cheers from the 1,200 members of the public, who were selected to be outside Windsor Castle for the event for being outstanding members of their community. 

"One thing that made many of us giggle was that we could hear the wonderful people outside. When the vows were happening, they would cheer, and we could hear them. It was a very quiet chapel. We all followed the Queen’s lead. But we could hear everyone cheer and it was so heartwarming. Really, it filled our hearts," revealed the former True Blood star.

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Royal Wedding Guests
Janina Gavankar/Instagram

Janina said she thought she'd feel differently at the public event, but the fans outside touched her heart.

She told the mag, "Once I was there, I got to see the people that were on the grounds with us. Sharing that with them was unexpected and heartwarming. I really thought that I would be shaken by how public the whole thing was, but I wasn’t."

Janina also said it was important for her to keep her attendance private—until she made her entrance at St. George's Chapel.

"In the end, this was a wedding, an actual wedding, between two people, who are real people that fell in love. And people who know them know that this is a private moment that was not allowed to be private," she said. "It wasn’t a priority for me to have my publicist announce I was going. My priority will always be my friend. I’m not there for you, I’m there for her."

She also told the publication that she hoped the lovebirds can enjoy time together without the prying eyes of the world.

"I hope for as much privacy as possible. As much as the world will allow them, I hope for more. Truly," she said.

The Vampire Diaries alum reflected on the blending of the couple's different cultures—Prince Harry being English and Meghan being bi-racial.

"As long as it's going to be public, you might as well make the best of it and show the world what you stand for together, and they did that. Even just in who they chose as musicians. They chose to include parts of both of their cultures," Gavankar said. "I love that they're not ignoring that this is an unusual moment in history, and celebrating its sweetness is something that they did."

Following her arrival, Janina did take to social media to discuss her joy (and of course her outfits!).

Janina may not have stolen the show at the royal wedding—it was Meghan's day all the way—but the actress certainly made her mark with her fabulous fringed vintage ensemble.

Following the fervor over the design, she wrote, "Thank you to everyone inquiring about today’s dress! Here’s the real story: As many do for events of this kind, my stylist @NikiSchwan & I reached out to designers and showrooms. ...No one was responsive. Luckily, @westerncostumecompany generously opened the doors to their private vintage archive, and we chose this 1930’s dress and 1940s hat. Which we paired with @coomijewels Jewels, @sigersonmorrison pumps and a @ysl clutch. (Strange to be talking fashion on a powerful day of love and union.)"

The actress also dished on the after party, joking she was “emotionally hungover” after the ultra exclusive-bash, that only had 200 guests.

"We all danced until the wee hours. We partied and celebrated and ate sliders at 2 in the morning," Gavankar, who donned a yellow gown for the nighttime event, said. “It was such a beautiful day and a carefree night, and it was a very powerful day in history. And I think everybody felt it across the world.”

As for Harry's speech? She said, “The speech that Harry gave was so funny, self-deprecating, filled with love, and that guy just has her back. I left feeling so solid for them." She continued, "I walked away feeling so confident that these two will put their combined power into the world for good. They did it apart. They’ve done it apart their entire lives. Imagine what they can do together."

Janina's been a busy bee herself! The week before the royal wedding, she was onstage opposite Sarah Hyland and Alexandra Daddario doing a staged reading of Molly Prather's hilarious comedy, Jihotties.