Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has ignited controversy with her latest television venture, appearing as a guest judge on Australia's MasterChef. The 44-year-old founder of the As Ever lifestyle brand filmed a segment at the show's Melbourne set, leaving Prince Harry to fly solo during their Australian tour. Channel Ten released a promo video showing Meghan striding onto the set in a chic black outfit, joining judges Poh Ling Yeow, Jean-Christophe Novelli, and Sofia Levin.
Episode Details and Challenge
The episode is scheduled to air on Sunday, July 26, at 7pm on Channel 10. According to Mediaweek, Meghan will ask contestants to create a 'dish fit for a Duchess.' The challenge involves seasonal ingredients such as Brussels sprouts, celeriac, macadamia nuts, quince, lemons, apples, mandarins, strawberries, and Australian honey—rather than her own As Ever-branded honey. Meghan said in a press release: 'What attracted me to the MasterChef Australia kitchen? Two things: my love of food and my love of Australia. It was an easy yes.' She added, 'It's such a great show. I'm just really honoured that I was asked to be here with you and to be able to judge some of these meals.'
Royal Title Controversy
Despite her enthusiasm, Meghan reportedly became 'very frustrated' when producers referred to her as 'royalty' in promotional materials. A source claimed Meghan and her team had 'specifically' made clear they did not want the word 'royal' used. Fellow judge Poh had said in the promo: 'We've had MasterChef royalty in the kitchen before but no one like this.' However, Meghan's reported demands sparked backlash from fans. One critic said: 'So Meghan Markle preaches about being “linked not ranked” while flogging the title “Duchess” on TV, because it's all she's got. What a hypocritical old ham. She knows nothing about cooking either. Give her a pint of bitter and tell her to sit down.' Another added: 'Meghan's team begged producers to skip the royal angle, but she still demanded contestants create a “dish fit for a Duchess”—then got frustrated when the promo leaned into her title. Peak hypocrisy—reject the royal framing publicly but demand it when it suits her TV cameo.' A third swiped: 'Judging by the slop she made on her show shouldn’t be too hard to find something “fit” for the duchess.'
Meghan's Sentimental Approach
During the filming, Meghan advised contestants: 'I'd love it if there's a connection that you can find when, as you're cooking something, what is the story behind it?... What is something from your family or from a memory... something sentimental that we can also taste as we taste your dish?' She added, 'These are all things that, for me, feel really nostalgic.' The appearance comes amid claims that her Australian tour with Harry was cashing in on royal links, leading to further scrutiny of her MasterChef role.
