Meghan Markle Faces Backlash as 'Salmonella Sussex' Nickname Mars 'Hilarious' Cookbook Rumours

When Meghan Markle posted a brief Instagram video of herself preparing Thanksgiving dinner this past November, she probably imagined it would resonate with her followers as a warm, relatable glimpse into domestic life. Instead, it became the gift that kept on giving — for critics, anyway.

The moment the footage circulated online, depicting the Duchess of Sussex seasoning raw poultry while still wearing her jewellery, the internet had found its villain of the holiday season. Within hours, the unflattering moniker 'Salmonella Sussex' had attached itself to her with the permanence of a food-safety hazard.

The irony is almost too perfect: just as rumours swirl about Markle's forthcoming cookbook — a lavish lifestyle project tied to her Netflix series With Love, Meghan — she's become the inadvertent poster child for everything a cookbook should warn you against. The timing could hardly be worse, and social media has not missed the opportunity to remind her of it.

Kitchen Catastrophe Meets Career Ambition

The controversy emerged when Markle shared a clip showing her mixing seasonings and rubbing them onto a raw bird, all while wearing rings and bracelets. Food safety experts were appalled.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, raw turkey and its juices can harbour harmful pathogens including Salmonella, and anything they touch becomes contaminated. Critics argued that the jewellery could become a breeding ground for bacteria, a point reinforced by one commenter who observed:

'She is not a trained chef. She is not an experienced cook. Based on what she has publicly shown, her kitchen habits are anything but safe or professional'.

The backlash was swift, merciless and thoroughly unkind. One user quipped: 'This is hilarious...it has to be for kids.' Another joked: 'Can't wait to see it on the shelves at the Dollar Tree! Perfect gag gift!'

A fourth user chimed in: 'Let's hope she gets sued by everyone she steals the recipes from!!!' The nickname 'Salmonella Sussex' trended across social media platforms, becoming shorthand for Markle's apparent kitchen incompetence. One particularly cutting comment summed up the mood: 'Everything for a bit of attention. What a terrible woman'.

What makes the timing so awkward is that Markle has simultaneously begun laying groundwork for her foray into cookbook publishing. According to sources, the duchess is planning a 2026 release featuring recipes such as 'single skillet spaghetti' and 'rainbow-themed fruit salad', alongside meal ideas incorporating her signature jams and marmalade.

The book is expected to draw heavily on her Netflix cooking series, offering hosting tips and lifestyle guidance. The cookbook, naturally, will be packaged as an extension of her As Ever lifestyle brand.

Can She Recover From the Turkey Debacle?

Former royal butler Grant Harrold weighed in on Markle's publishing plans, offering a measured assessment of what lies ahead. 'I believe Meghan will write a book in 2026, however I don't think it will be the memoir many of her fans are hoping for,' he noted.

'While she's led a really interesting life and has many stories to tell, I don't think she will want to share them at this point. She's shared her stories and experience in interviews, however I'm not sure we'll see a longer, tell-all book'.

Instead, Harrold predicted that 'we'll likely see something that fits with her new lifestyle branding, maybe a cookbook or a written version of her Netflix show sharing tips and tricks'. He suggested the royal family would actually welcome this approach.

'I think the royal family hopes she continues her work in the lifestyle sphere. It's what she's passionate about and she's made a real mark. Plus, it can't really do much harm, and especially nothing like Prince Harry did with his memoir Spare'.

The gauntlet, however, has been thrown. Markle's credibility in the kitchen now hangs in the balance. The 'Salmonella Sussex' nickname, however cruel, has embedded itself in the collective memory.

Whether her cookbook can rehabilitate her reputation as a trusted culinary voice remains an open question. What is certain is that she'll have to do significantly better than raw turkey handled with family heirlooms to convince a sceptical public that she deserves shelf space in their kitchens.