The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently offered insights into their family life and culinary preferences during the Duchess’s guest appearance on the 18th season of MasterChef Australia. The episode, filmed during the couple’s week-long visit to Australia in April, featured a video call from Prince Harry, who checked in on Meghan as she judged the competition.

Though the Sussexes have been residing in California since stepping back from royal duties, Meghan revealed that Harry remains attached to traditional British fare, favouring “meat, potatoes and cream sauce” despite the distance from his homeland. In contrast, the California-born Duchess described her own dietary preferences as leaning towards Mediterranean-style dishes, including grilled meats, fish, and citrus.

During the show, contestants were tasked with creating a dish “fit for a duchess” using a staple ingredient. Meghan praised one contestant’s dish but playfully noted that it contained too much spice for her husband’s taste—a trait reportedly shared with his father, King Charles, who is said to prefer organic eggs and cheese and avoid overly spicy food, according to former royal chef Darren McGrady.

The Duchess also spoke about the family’s meal routines, highlighting the importance of shared dining experiences for connection. She noted that their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are “great eaters” who enjoy vegetables like Brussels sprouts. Meghan emphasized that their family often cooks together, with the children actively participating, particularly in tending to their garden.

The Sussexes’ Australian visit encompassed more than the cooking show appearance. They engaged with mental health charities, Invictus Games veterans, survivors of the Bondi Beach attack, and emergency service personnel. Reflecting on their affection for Australia, Meghan recalled announcing her pregnancy with Archie during a previous trip to the country nearly eight years ago.

MasterChef Australia, known for featuring some of the most talented amateur cooks, has aired internationally, including in Britain on Channel 4. The season featuring Meghan’s appearance was not reported to have involved any payment to the Duchess.

This broadcast follows the couple’s first joint visit to Britain in over four years. During that trip, they had a private audience with King Charles at Highgrove House, marking a reunion with the children. While the Duke appeared publicly to promote the upcoming Invictus Games in Birmingham and described himself as a “full-time dad,” the Duchess remained out of the public eye, having traveled privately with the children from Europe, where they had been vacationing in Portugal.

The visit coincided with the Duke’s loss of a £5 million phone-hacking lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail.