Meghan Markle's surprise appearance on MasterChef Australia has divided viewers, with some accusing the Duchess of Sussex of breaking the show's rules and questioning why she was invited onto the hit cooking competition.
Details of the Appearance
The episode, which aired on Sunday after being filmed during Meghan and Prince Harry's tour of Australia in April, saw the Duchess, 44, make a special guest appearance in the MasterChef kitchen. Wearing a black long-sleeved blouse tucked into a matching black skirt, Meghan greeted contestants before chatting with them as they raced against the clock to complete their dishes.
While the royal's presence came as a surprise to the contestants, she got a surprise of her own when Prince Harry phoned during filming.
Viewer Backlash
Despite the warm reception inside the kitchen, the episode quickly ignited a royal frenzy online, with many viewers claiming Meghan broke the show's usual format by personally informing contestants of the remaining cooking time rather than making the announcement from the gantry.
Taking to X, one fan fumed: "Ok, this was the part that p****d me off! Meghan was meant to shout 30 MINUTES!! but instead, she insisted she would tell them personally. Firstly, that makes the contestants lose precious time & secondly, it was about giving herself maximum airtime & exposure strutting about!"
The clip quickly spread across social media, with hundreds of viewers weighing in. One viewer branded the Duchess's guest spot "an absolute disgrace," writing: "Absolute disgrace. This cheap two-bit has no culinary expertise aside from roasting chicken and tossing salad for Harry. He then decided that was a reason to marry her. This makes me sick."
Another simply wrote: "It's always about her." A third added: "Maximum Meghan time was all it was about - she is the most self-absorbed person ever."
Meanwhile, another viewer suggested Meghan had only landed the guest appearance because of her royal title, writing: "She doesn't realise MasterChef producers are just using her for ratings and not any cooking expertise (or anything other than the word 'Duchess')."
Behind-the-Scenes Controversy
The episode had already generated headlines before it aired, following reports of an alleged disagreement over how Meghan would be introduced on the programme. Despite the controversy, Meghan appeared relaxed throughout the episode, chatting with contestants and offering words of encouragement as they tackled the culinary challenge.
