Meghan Markle Reportedly 'Frustrated' With a 'MasterChef' Judge — and the Reason Is Raising Eyebrows
Before her 'MasterChef Australia' episode even airs, Meghan Markle's on-set frustration over a seemingly innocuous remark is making headlines.
Meghan Markle's guest appearance on MasterChef Australia is set to air on July 26, but the behind-the-scenes drama on set has already stolen the spotlight. Now, an insider claims the Duchess of Sussex was deeply upset when judge Poh Ling Yeow introduced her as "royalty in the kitchen" and referred to her as "Meghan Markle." While the introduction was not incorrect, Markle had reportedly asked that the term 'royal' not be used to avoid fueling debate over her current royal status during the Australia tour, particularly on commercial television.
The source was referring to Ling Yeow's introduction of Markle in the trailer, where she said, "We've had royalty in the MasterChef kitchen before, but no one like this! All the way from sunny California, please welcome to MasterChef Australia - the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle!" In reality, the 'royalty' that she was talking about was King Charles's lesser-known cameo on the show in a July 18 episode. Regardless, even the indirect reference caused a furor in Markle's camp. The insider told news.com,au, "They're [Markle's team] very frustrated," adding that they'd "specifically" made clear they didn't want the word "royal" used. Watch the video here!
Moreover, the source revealed that "They [Markle and her team] were outside the doors when it [the trailer] was filmed, so they didn't know what had been said." In a similar vein, Sky News lifestyle reporter Chloe Walker also told News Digital Presenter Gabriella Power, "Apparently, Meghan and her team were a little bit upset and frustrated because the MasterChef judges referred to her as royalty. I'm not sure why they would be frustrated." Markle and Prince Harry's current royal status has been a topic of discussion ever since they stepped down as working members of the British monarchy six years ago.
Interestingly, Markle had not objected to being referred to as 'Duchess,' despite stepping down as a senior royal and embarking on independent ventures. In a photo posted on Channel 10 Australia's Instagram, the caption read, "The countdown is on! 🗓️ Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, joins the #MasterChefAU kitchen as a guest judge, bringing her love of food, entertaining, and seasonal produce to one of the competition's most memorable challenges." It further mentioned that the episode would air on Sunday, 26 July, at 7 pm.
Shortly after MasterChef Australia announced her appearance, the Duchess expressed her gratitude for the opportunity. As reported by Sky News, her press release read, "What attracted me to the MasterChef Australia kitchen? Two things: my love of food and my love of Australia... I'm just really honored that I was asked to be able to be here with you and to be able to judge some of these meals." She also encouraged the contestants to find a personal connection in their cooking, urging them to think about the story behind the dish they were preparing.
