Meghan Markle stars as guest judge on MasterChef Australia as behind-the-scenes footage released

Meghan Markle has made her eagerly awaited appearance on MasterChef Australia today, stepping into the cooking show's studio to audible gasps from contestants.

Meghan Markle, 44, was filling in as a guest judge for Andy Allen, who was away on paternity leave.

A visibly nervous Poh Ling Yeow welcomed her with a hug before posing the question on everyone's mind: "Do I call you Duchess?"

"Oh, call me Meghan. Absolutely, yeah," the Duchess replied without hesitation.

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She appeared alongside fellow judges Mrs Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli, having recorded the segment during her Australian visit with Prince Harry in April.

Alongside the landmark appearance, Channel 10 released behind-the-scenes footage of Meghan as she prepared to make her dramatic entrance into the studio.

The clips also showed the duchess introducing herself to astonished guests, who split the floor as she strutted her way next to her fellow judges.

The appearance had been overshadowed in the weeks prior by a dispute over a promotional clip for the episode.

In the trailer, Yeow was heard remarking: "We've had MasterChef royalty in the kitchen before, but nothing like this."

According to Australian outlet News.com.au, Meghan and her team had not seen the wording before it was released publicly and were displeased.

An insider reportedly said the pair were "very frustrated," having specifically requested that the word "royal" not feature in any material.

Once inside the kitchen, Meghan selected the ingredients for the contestants' challenge, presenting a table of seasonal produce including honey, macadamia nuts, citrus, edible flowers and celeriac. The brief was to prepare a "dish fit for a Duchess."

As she unveiled the spread, she proudly disclosed that her two children — Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five — both happily eat Brussels sprouts. Yeow's response was immediate: "That's impressive."

Meghan urged the amateur cooks not to let the pressure of the competition kitchen overwhelm them.

"I like to cook in a really relaxed fashion," she said, advising them to "remember to have fun, to keep a sense of humour about it, and to cook from the heart."

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She also reflected on the deeper significance that preparing meals holds for her.

"Food and cooking to me is really a love language," she told the contestants. "I think it's such a great way to connect. It's something that can feel sentimental and meaningful and it's how I show my nurturing and love for my friends, family, and my kids."

Meghan encouraged the competitors to draw on personal memories when creating their dishes, asking them to consider the story behind what they were cooking.

"These are all things that, for me, feel really nostalgic," she added.

Her appearance on Australia's biggest cooking programme was recorded during the couple's tour of Australia three months ago, with the broadcast date confirmed earlier this month.

Meghan cited her passion for food and her affection for Australia as the twin reasons she agreed to take part. "It was an easy yes," she said. "I'm just really honoured that I was asked to be here with you and to be able to judge some of these meals."

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