Duchess Meghan’s pals have her back. Celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin and True Blood alum Janina Gavankar defended the former Suits actress amid recent negative press in a sneak peek of CBS’ upcoming special, Meghan and Harry Plus One.
“What’s so frustrating is that you hear these stories and there’s no truth to them,” Martin told host Gayle King. “It’s not the same person. In the years I’ve known her, the years I’ve worked with her, she’s never had a diva fit. Never.”
The beauty guru even broke down in tears over stories about his longtime friend. “I know she doesn’t deserve all this negative press,” he said.
Meghan, 37, has been criticized over everything from her clothing choices to her “flashy” New York City baby shower. The royal also made headlines over a rumored feud with her sister-in-law, Duchess Kate, and a high turnover rate among her staff members.
Gavankar, 38 said Meghan has learned not to fall prey to the tabloids. “She doesn’t read the bad or the good because…She knows the metrics that you have for your own life cannot be based on a headline that somebody else wrote,” she said.
A source told Us Weekly in January, however, that the negative attention was weighing on the Tig founder. “Meghan has so much on her plate, between being pregnant and dealing with the public backlash, and she’s finding the whole situation incredibly stressful,” the royal insider said that the time.
A second source confirmed that Meghan was “definitely bothered by all the reports and speculation,” adding, “Some things are just hard to stay away from.”
George Clooney previously rallied behind Meghan in an interview with Good Morning Britain in March. “I’ve seen it when the press can turn on you for sort of ridiculous reasons and for … almost nothing and it seemed to me that it was … it seemed to be a little unjust, since she hadn’t done anything, except just happen to live her life,” he said of the “unkind” press the philanthropist had received. “She’s a really kind and smart and intelligent young woman, and they’re a really wonderful, loving couple.”
Gavankar shed some light into the Duchess of Sussex’s recent journey into motherhood — baby Archie was born on May 6 — in the CBS special. “Meghan and I have talked about her being a mother for over a decade. She’s always wanted to be a mom,” she told King, 64.
As for her husband, Prince Harry, Martin says he’s no slouch in the dad department, either. “He’s so good with kids,” he revealed. “When they were doing the family portrait after the wedding with everybody, he was on the floor playing with the kids. And that’s when I knew he was going to be the coolest dad.”
Meghan and Harry Plus One will air on CBS on Friday, May 17, at 8 p.m. ET.
