Meghan Markle is heading back onto television screens in a very different role, as her guest judging appearance on MasterChef Australia is set to air later this month.
The Duchess of Sussex made a shock appearance on MasterChef Australia and her episode will be broadcast later this month, She is pictured with fellow judges Poh Ling Yeow, Jean-Christophe Novelli and Sofia Levin
The Duchess of Sussex filmed the segment during her recent visit to Australia with Prince Harry, stepping away from the Dukeâs public schedule for a day to join the Melbourne set of the popular cooking competition. Channel Ten has now confirmed that Meghanâs episode will air on Sunday, July 26, at 7pm, with contestants asked to prepare a dish âfit for a Duchessâ.
The challenge appears perfectly tailored to Meghanâs current public image. The former actress has leaned heavily into food, hosting and lifestyle through her As Ever brand, while often speaking about the emotional connections that meals can carry. In the MasterChef kitchen, she reportedly encouraged contestants to think beyond flavour and presentation, asking them to explore the memories, family stories and sentimental meaning behind the food they were creating.
According to the article, Meghan said two things attracted her to the show: her love of food and her love of Australia. âIt was an easy yes,â she said in a press release announcing the broadcast date. Seasonal ingredients including Brussels sprouts, celeriac, macadamia nuts, quince, lemons, apples, mandarins, strawberries and Australian honey were reportedly made available for the challenge.
Foodie Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, serves frittata at McAuley Community Services for Women, a women’s homeless and family violence shelter, on April 14 in Melbourne
Meghan Markle was reportedly left disappointed after the Irwin family opted not to meet her and Prince Harry during their current Australian tour (pictured together at Swinburne University of Technology on Thursday)
Her appearance was first teased in a Channel Ten promo showing the Duchess walking onto the set in a sleek black outfit to meet judges Poh Ling Yeow, Jean-Christophe Novelli and Sofia Levin. But even before the episode aired, the cameo had already sparked discussion.
The most talked-about detail centred on the word âroyaltyâ. Reports claimed Meghan was âvery frustratedâ when the promo referred to her in royal terms, despite the fact that the description is technically linked to her marriage to Prince Harry. The article says Meghanâs team had made clear they did not want the word âroyalâ used around the appearance, particularly because the Sussexesâ Australia visit had already drawn criticism for mixing charity-style engagements with commercial events.
The trip itself came under close scrutiny. Harry and Meghanâs spokesman repeatedly described it as private rather than royal, yet the coupleâs itinerary included public-facing appearances, lifestyle events and speaking engagements. There were also questions over security costs, while some critics accused the Sussexes of using their royal connections to draw attention to paid opportunities.
Meghan spent just two hours with host Gemma O’Neill and female fans who paid to ask her questions and pose for pictures at a money-spinning ‘ultimate girls’ weekend where she bemoaned her ‘very hard’ life
For Meghan, however, MasterChef Australia offers a chance to place food and storytelling at the centre of the conversation. The Duchess told contestants she wanted to taste not only the dish, but the emotion behind it. That message fits neatly with the image she has tried to build in recent years: personal, polished, lifestyle-focused and rooted in memory.
Still, the episode is likely to divide opinion. Supporters may see it as a natural step for a woman who has long loved cooking and entertaining, while critics may view the âDuchessâ challenge as another example of royal status being used for television appeal.
Either way, Meghanâs MasterChef appearance has already achieved one thing before a single dish has been judged: it has turned a cooking competition into another headline-making Sussex moment.
