'She Just Wants Money': Meghan Markle Sparks Aussie Backlash Over New Junior MasterChef Television Gig

Meghan Markle has prompted a wave of criticism in Australia after it emerged that the Duchess of Sussex will co-host Junior MasterChef Australia for Network 10.

The announcement has divided viewers in Melbourne and beyond, with some questioning why a former American actress and British royal is being placed at the centre of one of the country's best-known food programmes.

The news followed months of reporting that Prince Harry and Meghan had moved back to the UK, with the couple said to be seeking stability and a clearer identity after years of friction with the Royal Family. That narrative has now collided with Meghan's decision to take on a high-profile commercial television role thousands of miles from Britain.

The response was swift. A petition against her casting was launched almost immediately, while shoppers and visitors interviewed in Melbourne asked why she had been chosen at all. One former British resident was particularly blunt, saying, 'She thinks she is a chef... She just wants money. She is there only trading on royalty, which she is no longer.'

That comment captures much of the unease. Critics do not appear to be attacking MasterChef itself, a franchise that has endured for years as family television. Their concern is what Meghan's appointment says about the Sussexes' direction after stepping back from frontline royal duties.

Why Australians Are Questioning Meghan Markle

Australia is enjoying what the source article describes as a culinary golden age. South Australia has just celebrated its first-ever batch of Michelin stars, and the country has no shortage of respected chefs, food critics and home-grown broadcasting talent.

Against that backdrop, some Australians see the choice of Meghan as puzzling. One Melbourne shopper reportedly mistook her for Angela Merkel, while an American tourist said her activities did not rank among their 'top 100 issues'.

Those remarks suggest that, outside royal-watching circles, Meghan's celebrity does not carry the same weight as it might in Britain or the United States.

Network 10, however, has an obvious commercial reason for the booking. Meghan's earlier guest appearance on the programme drew 1.6 million viewers, a figure that would have made network executives sit up. Pairing her with fan favourite Poh Ling Yeow gives the show a familiar face and a fresh talking point.

The suspicion among critics is that Network 10 did not hire Meghan for her culinary judgement. It hired her for attention. Whether that attention converts into goodwill is another matter entirely.

The Royal Title Question Resurfaces

Meghan's new role also revives an old tension. She and Harry stepped away from their roles as senior working royals, yet the Duchess of Sussex title remains part of her public identity and commercial brand.

Supporters would argue that there is nothing improper about a private citizen taking television work. Meghan is no longer a working royal, and presenting a children's cooking show is hardly the same as carrying out official engagements on behalf of the Crown.

But detractors see a contradiction. They argue that the couple cannot simultaneously distance themselves from royal life and continue to benefit from the recognition that royal status provides. The source article frames this as the 'awkward, persistent contradiction' that has followed Harry and Meghan since their departure from frontline duties.

There is no evidence in the available material that Meghan took the job solely for money. That claim rests on the view of one former British resident quoted in Melbourne, rather than on any statement from Meghan, Harry or Network 10. IBTimes UK cannot independently verify the motives behind the casting.

What can be said is that the reaction has been immediate and unvarnished. Australians asking 'Why her?' are not merely complaining about a television presenter. They are pushing back against the idea that royal fame should automatically translate into a place on their screens.

For Meghan, the Junior MasterChef Australia role offers visibility, a new audience and another step away from the restricted world of royal duty. For Network 10, it offers publicity that money would struggle to buy.