Meghan Markle got an emotional surprise during her appearance as a guest judge on ‘MasterChef Australia’ when Prince Harry unexpectedly called her on camera. The Duchess of Sussex, 44, appeared on the July 26 episode of the reality competition series, marking a significant moment in her culinary media journey and demonstrating the couple’s ability to surprise fans with intimate glimpses of their relationship even during professional commitments.According to People, the cameo was initially teased after being filmed during Meghan and Harry’s visit to Australia in April. During the episode, while the judges were reviewing a contestant’s dish, Meghan received a surprise video call from her husband, surprising the contestants and fellow judges in the room. “Hello, my love! My husband is here,” Meghan said, as the camera panned to her colleagues greeting Prince Harry, 41.
Prince Harry’s surprise video call gave viewers a glimpse into the pair’s relationship during Meghan Markle’s appearance as a guest judge on “MasterChef Australia.” Image credit (Instagram).
Prince Harry jokes with Meghan Markle during a surprise MasterChef Australia video call
Prince Harry opened the call with characteristic humor, asking: “What’s going on? Did I interrupt something important?” Meghan explained the situation to her husband, providing context on the court process. “Well, we’re actually in the middle of tasting all the dishes. We’ve got four amazing chefs here. It’s amazing, they’re so talented. We’d love to have you here,” Meghan replied, then turned to inform the judges: “She’s in Canberra right now with the veterans.”
Prince Harry joked: “Did I interrupt something important?” as Meghan Markle called it during her appearance as a guest on ‘MasterChef Australia’. Image credit (Instagram).
Meghan enthusiastically described the food to Prince Harry. “I wish you could try this. These dishes are fantastic. It’s really delicious, and there’s a hot sauce that, well, you know me, is so good. I think it might be too much for you. It’s spicy,” she said, referring to her husband’s known preferences for heat levels in the kitchen.Prince Harry responded warmly to his wife’s invitation. “Well, go and enjoy it. I’m so sorry to bother you. Everything’s fine here. I’ll see you later,” he said. The judges and contestants applauded at the end of the call, with one contestant reacting: “That’s crazy!”
Former MasterChef Australia producer shares behind-the-scenes details on Meghan Markle’s professionalism
Before the episode aired, Alexandria Funnell, a former ‘MasterChef Australia’ post-producer, posted a video on TikTok sharing behind-the-scenes details of Meghan’s appearance as a guest judge. According to Marie Claire, Funnell asked a colleague who still works on the show about his experience with Meghan Markle during filming.The producer texted that she was “very good” and “very good to judge”. They added that Meghan “was very kind to all the crew, had a great sense of humor and was just a normal human being.” The colleague also recalled that “her entourage was only two people, and they were very large, too,” highlighting Meghan’s relatively modest staffing arrangements during the production.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s April trip to Australia combined business and philanthropic duties
During the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s four-day trip to Australia in April, the couple engaged in private, business and philanthropic responsibilities. The visit marked a significant return to the country for Meghan, as the couple had previously visited eight years earlier on their first official joint royal tour as newlyweds. The couple stepped back from their royal roles two years after that initial visit in 2018.
Meghan Markle’s culinary presence in the media reflects a broader creative direction
The “MasterChef Australia” appearance reflects a natural extension of Meghan’s involvement in food and lifestyle media. She has previously been a guest judge on a 2016 episode of Food Network’s “Chopped Junior” and most recently demonstrated her cooking skills on the series “With Love, Meghan.” Meghan regularly shares moments from her home kitchen on social media, showing an ongoing commitment to creating culinary content.Meghan also shared a video in 2025 taking her followers through the journey of making a dessert named after her daughter, Princess Lilibet. The dessert was called Chantilly Lili and was a “twist on my grandmother’s banana pudding recipe”, according to Meghan, combining family heritage with modern culinary presentation and showing her vision of transforming classic family recipes for today’s palates.