Meghan Markle recently stopped by the MasterChef kitchen during her trip to the Land Down Under, and made quite an impression. And according to Marie Claire, there was nothing but good reviews from insiders following her guest appearance on MasterChef Australia with members of the production team and on-screen judges described her as professional, personable, and unexpectedly strong in the role.
The Duchess of Sussex appeared as a guest judge during her recent visit to Australia with Prince Harry, which was part of a broader tour that included stops in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. Of course there were naysayers who criticized her appearance as they questioned her culinary credentials, those who worked with her behind the scenes have offered a drastically different perspective. And when it comes to validating a person’s character, one-on-one encounters tend to count for a lot.
Alexandria Funnell, a former post-producer on the show, shared details in a widely circulated TikTok video after speaking with a current crew member. According to Funnell, she was “keen to hear the goss” and soon spilled the tea. She said that Markle was “so great” during filming, describing her as friendly, down-to-earth and easy to work with.
#BREAKING: Passionate foodie Meghan Markle is joining MasterChef Australia as a guest judge!
Click the link below to see the Duchess of Sussex surprise this year’s contestants.
MasterChef premieres this Sunday at 7pm on 10.
Link: https://t.co/h0xrhrNthF pic.twitter.com/F3qgxNd5kS
— 10 News (@10NewsAU) April 15, 2026
“She was so nice to all the crew, had a good sense of humor, and was just a normal human,” Funnell said, adding that Markle’s entourage was notably small. “Her entourage was only two people and they were so great, too,” she stated. Markle has recently been criticized for treating staff as disposable.
Funnell also noted that Markle impressed the crew from a technical standpoint, particularly in her judging style. “She was really good at judging too,” she said, explaining that Markle’s feedback was more concise than that of regular judges, whose comments often requires stiff editing in post-production. “That’s the thing about the judges… you have to cut them down a lot… The waffle is waffling,” she added, suggesting that Markle’s brief remarks stood out during filming.
On-screen judge Poh Ling Yeow echoed those sentiments in a separate interview, calling Markle “delightful” and praising her professionalism. “There is so much public conjecture about this. She’s so delightful, [I have] nothing but praise for the time that we spent with her,” Yeow stated.
Meghan Markle wasn’t thrilled with her introduction on MasterChef Australia. During the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry‘s visit to Oz, she made a cameo on the cooking show, where she received a grand welcome. “We’ve had MasterChef royalty in the… https://t.co/HThmLpOe37
— Wonderwall (@Wonderwall) April 21, 2026
She added that Markle adapted quickly to the role, noting, “She’s an actor, right? So she just slid right into that judging role, like seamlessly.” Yeow also addressed the criticism surrounding Markle’s appearance, seemingly pointing out that much of the backlash lacks justification for their outrage.
“No one can actually really say why,” she said, adding that she felt sympathy for Markle given the level of scrutiny she faces. “At the end of the day… she’s still a human, there’s an emotional human at the end of that, with all this hatred that people like spitting out. She was honestly so lovely,” Yeow said.
Markle’s appearance is actually not that surprising given that cuisine is on brand for her, since her niche is in food and lifestyle content. Her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, where she shares recipes and hosting tips, shows that she is more than comfortable with the topic. And while the positive accounts from those involved in production are in contrast to the public’s skepticism, Markle’s contribution was still valued by those who worked with her.
