The Duchess of Sussex, 44, has returned to television screens nearly a year after the release of the second season of her Netflix lifestyle program. The "Suits" alumna appeared as a guest judge on the July 26 episode of "MasterChef Australia," a segment filmed during her four-day visit to the country with her husband, Prince Harry, this past April.
As the founder of the As Ever lifestyle brand and host of "With Love, Meghan," the Duchess entered the set to applause from the Season 18 judges, the final four contestants, and their previously eliminated peers. She took charge of the mystery box challenge, tasking chefs Vinnie Gibaldi, Petro Papathomas, Casper Kenworthy, and Aaron Kher with selecting a "hero" ingredient to create a dish that reflects a personal memory or family story. The available ingredients for the challenge included Australian honey, lemons, macadamia nuts, apples, Jerusalem artichokes, celeriac, and quince. During the segment, she noted that her children eat Brussels sprouts and mentioned that she grows strawberries and mandarins at home.
When it came time for the 30-minute time call, judges Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novelli asked the Duchess to handle the announcement. Explaining that she does not like to yell, the Duchess walked to each station to inform the chefs individually that they had 30 minutes remaining. Petro Papathomas ultimately secured the win with a dish he had never attempted before: celeriac ice cream paired with sautéed celeriac, pickled apples, and hazelnut crumb. The Duchess praised the dish, and Papathomas earned immunity, securing the first of three spots in the final. He later told WHO Magazine that the Duchess was very kind and spoke eloquently about food.
During the judging process, a production team member handed the Duchess an iPhone for a FaceTime call with Prince Harry. The Prince, who is the second son of King Charles, greeted his wife and judge Sofia Levin, asking if he had interrupted anything important. The Duchess introduced the royal to the chefs, remarking on their talent and expressing a wish that he could have been there to taste the dishes while he was in Canberra meeting with veterans. She then panned the camera to show Kher's dish to the Prince.
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