Meghan Markle made her debut as a mystery judge on MasterChef Australia with one very clear request — she wanted contestants to call her “Meghan,” not “Duchess.”

The 44-year-old Duchess of Sussex appeared on the Australian cooking show on Sunday, July 26, after weeks of anticipation. The episode aired at 7 p.m. Australian time and 10 a.m. in the UK.

Meghan, who runs her lifestyle brand As Ever and has long spoken about her passion for cooking, was brought in as a mystery guest to fill the judging spot left vacant by Andy Allen, a former MasterChef Australia winner and judge who is currently on paternity leave.

Before Meghan’s arrival, beloved judge and Season 1 runner-up Poh Ling Yeow told the contestants she was excited to introduce their mystery guest.

When Meghan stepped onto the set wearing a mid-length black linen dress, Poh asked the question that immediately caught attention.

“Welcome. Do I call you Duchess?”

Meghan’s response was brief and direct: “Oh, call me Meghan. Absolutely, yeah.”

The exchange came after reports of Meghan’s former frustration with promotional material for the program that reportedly described her as “royalty.” A source previously told the Daily Mail that Meghan’s team had specifically requested that references to her royal connection be left out of the show.

A Full-Circle Return to Australia

During the appearance, which was filmed in April, Meghan also reflected warmly on her connection to Australia.

She described her return as a “full circle” moment, recalling that she and Prince Harry had visited the country almost eight years earlier, before the birth of their first child, Prince Archie, now seven.

“We love Australia,” Meghan said, describing their earlier visit as sentimental and amazing. She recalled that they announced they were expecting Archie during that trip and said she was thrilled to be back and taste the food prepared by the contestants.

Meghan then challenged the cooks to create a dish “fit for a Duchess”, despite asking to be addressed simply as Meghan.

The contestants were given a selection of ingredients personally chosen by the mother of two, including honey, macadamia nuts, citrus, edible flowers and celeriac.

Edible flowers are also among the products sold through Meghan’s As Ever lifestyle website, where they retail for $15 (£11.60).

Throughout the episode, Meghan shared a few personal details about life at home, revealing that both of her children enjoy Brussels sprouts. She also encouraged the contestants to “keep a sense of humour” while acknowledging the intense pressure inside the MasterChef kitchen.

For Meghan, cooking is about far more than simply preparing food. She described it as her “love language”, explaining that food can create meaningful and sentimental connections and is one of the ways she expresses nurturing and love toward her friends, family and children.

Harry and Meghan’s Return to Australia

Meghan’s appearance also came months after she and Prince Harry returned to Australia in April 2026, eight years after their first visit.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex traveled to Sydney and Melbourne, where their schedule focused particularly on mental health and youth empowerment.

Their visit also included a stop at Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital.

With her MasterChef Australia appearance, Meghan once again found herself in a setting closely tied to her personal interests — food, family and Australia — while making it clear that, at least on the show, she preferred to be known simply as Meghan.

Source: Various Sources.