During her visit to Australia, Meghan slipped away from her official schedule to record an episode of MasterChef Australia as a guest judge, filmed in Melbourne.
The announcement came via the show’s social media channels, which introduced her as “a passionate foodie with global influence.”
This isn’t just any cameo, especially considering that on her Netflix show With Love, Meghan received quite harsh criticism for her cooking segments. Stepping back in front of the camera in that capacity carries a touch of quiet revenge.
On the show, she joined the usual panel of judges, consisting of Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novelli, following the Australian format where the judges intervene during the challenges to guide the contestants.
The episode premieres in Australia on Sunday, after the Sussexes have already left the country, and is expected to air in the United Kingdom later this year.
But MasterChef is just one piece of a larger puzzle. During the trip, Meghan also announced a partnership with OneOff, an AI-powered fashion platform where she serves as both a participant and an investor, creating exclusive editions of her looks so that users can replicate her style and purchase the garments directly, many of them from Australian designers.
In addition, she plans to expand her As Ever brand, which offers jams and tea, into the Australian market.
Taken together, this all forms a fairly clear pattern: each public appearance during the trip serves a dual purpose, a humanitarian and high-profile purpose, with hospitals and women’s shelters, and a commercial purpose, building brand presence in a new market.
Meghan has been honing this combination for some time, and Australia seems like the ideal setting to test it at scale.