Meghan Markle is making another unexpected move in her television career, and her latest opportunity will take her halfway around the world as the Duchess of Sussex prepares to spend several weeks in Australia.
The 45-year-old former actress has landed a role on Junior MasterChef Australia, marking another major television appearance as she continues building her career outside the British royal family.
The surprise announcement came Tuesday, October 27, when producers confirmed Meghan would join Australian television personality Poh Ling Yeow for the popular cooking competition’s long-awaited return in 2027.
The series has been off the air for six years, but its comeback will now feature one of the world’s most recognizable royal figures helping a new generation of young chefs compete in the kitchen.
Although some reports initially suggested Meghan had secured a permanent hosting position, the show’s production company, Endemol Shine Australia, described her involvement as a special guest appearance. The exact extent of her participation has not been announced.
For Meghan, however, accepting the invitation was apparently an easy decision.
The duchess revealed that her previous experience filming MasterChef Australia in April helped convince her to return, explaining that she had thoroughly enjoyed working with the show’s production team.
“It was an easy yes,” Meghan said in a statement, adding that she was particularly excited about meeting the young contestants because she enjoys cooking with her own children.
Her enthusiasm comes as the duchess prepares for another extended visit to Australia, where filming is expected to take place in Melbourne in 2027.
According to PEOPLE, Meghan will spend several weeks in the country, although she and Prince Harry are not planning to relocate their family for the production. The couple share two children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5.
It remains unclear whether Harry or the children will accompany Meghan for any portion of the trip.
The new opportunity follows Meghan’s appearance on MasterChef Australia earlier this year, which reportedly delivered a significant ratings boost for the long-running competition.
During an April visit to Australia with Harry, Meghan surprised contestants by stepping into the kitchen as a guest judge alongside Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli.
The episode, which aired July 26, challenged contestants to prepare dishes inspired by seasonal ingredients and personal memories. Viewers also witnessed an unexpected royal interruption when Harry joined the proceedings through a surprise video call.
The appearance apparently made a strong impression. According to the production company, the episode attracted the program’s largest Sunday audience since 2023, giving producers another reason to welcome the duchess back.
Yeow was equally enthusiastic about the reunion, revealing that she had enjoyed filming with Meghan and believed working together again would be a treat.
The latest role also represents another step in Meghan’s growing involvement in lifestyle and food-related entertainment. Her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, centered on cooking, entertaining and gardening, while her lifestyle brand, As Ever, has introduced products ranging from fruit spreads to baking mixes.
She is also no stranger to children’s cooking competitions, having previously appeared as a guest judge on Food Network’s Chopped Junior in 2016, before her marriage to Prince Harry.
The upcoming appearance gives Meghan another opportunity to reach television audiences beyond her royal connections, this time working directly with young contestants in a family-friendly competition.
While producers have yet to announce the precise filming schedule or premiere date, Junior MasterChef Australia is officially set to return to Network 10 in 2027.
And with Meghan’s previous appearance already credited with delivering a ratings success, her return could become one of the show’s biggest attractions.
