Meghan Markle has drawn fierce criticism after making a surprise appearance on an Australian cooking competition that included a playful FaceTime exchange with Prince Harry, with one celebrity chef accusing the Duchess of Sussex of staging a “calculated” television moment that undermined the couple’s repeated calls for privacy.
As RadarOnline.com readers will know, the 44-year-old appeared as a celebrity guest on the Australian edition of MasterChef, a popular cooking competition in which amateur chefs compete before a panel of judges.
Markle, whose lifestyle brand As Ever focuses on food, entertaining and home products, surprised contestants during Sunday’s episode of the show.
The segment included what appeared to be an unexpected FaceTime call from her husband, after a crew member interrupted filming to tell her there was a phone call waiting in the studio.
Markle initially appeared puzzled before seeing Harry,41, on screen, smiling and greeting him warmly as the audience watched.
A television industry source claimed: “Meghan’s appearance was clearly designed to showcase her passion for food while giving viewers a glimpse into her relationship with Harry. Whether audiences saw it as spontaneous or carefully planned depended entirely on how they viewed the couple before the episode even aired.”
Markle said on the show: “Hi, my love!”
Harry replied: “G’day.”
The pair then exchanged light-hearted conversation, prompting cheers from the studio audience.
Some viewers praised the moment on social media, with one person writing on X: “Wow, these two are so in love.”
Others, however, questioned whether the exchange had been spontaneous, noting the call began only after a member of the production team handed Markle a phone and announced: “We had a phone call to the studio.”
Celebrity chef Jameson Stocks was among those who criticized the sequence, arguing it lacked credibility.
Stocks told The News International: “There was no authenticity. Just something cold, calculated, and pathetic.”
Stocks also suggested Markle’s appearance was difficult to reconcile with the Sussexes’ long-standing concerns about privacy following their departure from royal duties.
He added: “She may call for privacy one day, yet the following day appear with her children for photo opportunities. She needs to get a grip.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have frequently spoken about protecting their private lives since stepping back as senior members of the British royal family in 2020.
At the same time, they have continued to appear in documentaries, interviews and commercial projects, often sharing carefully selected moments from their family life and professional ventures.
Markle has increasingly focused on food and lifestyle content through As ever, promoting recipes, home entertaining and cooking as central parts of her public brand.
Her latest television appearance reflected that direction, placing her alongside aspiring chefs competing in the kitchen while introducing an unexpected personal moment through Harry’s video call.
Although the brief exchange divided opinion online, it generated widespread discussion among viewers, with supporters describing it as affectionate and critics questioning whether it had been orchestrated for television.
The contrasting reactions highlight the intense scrutiny that continues to surround the Sussexes, whose public appearances routinely attract both enthusiastic support and sharp criticism.
Harry has remained estranged from the British royal family since stepping back from royal duties with Markle in 2020.
Relations have been further strained by a series of interviews, their Netflix documentary, and Harry’s memoir Spare, although he has said he hopes reconciliation with his family remains possible.