Why was Meghan Markle on MasterChef Australia? Source has the answer & her earnings

Many have been questioning Meghan’s decision to appear on MasterChef Australia, and much of that chatter comes from the simple fact that, while Meghan has a lifestyle show called With Love, Meghan, it does not include released recipes or the like.

However, according to a source that recently spoke to Woman’s Day, the biggest motivator was that Meghan “absolutely loved” being on that show. “She has been obsessed with cooking programs since she was a teen and even wrote about it on her old Tig blog.” Plus “she’s watched food channels for years, so this really was a dream gig.” So “to be a permanent judge on a show like MasterChef is something she would leave California for, no doubt. She dreams of building an empire like Martha Stewart.” 

At the end of the day, “this isn’t just about a TV appearance. Meghan’s mission Down Under is all about turning her brand As Ever into a billion-dollar global business. Australia is the perfect testing ground – big enough to matter, but small enough to crack.”

How Much Did Meghan Earn on MasterChef Australia?

Plus the payout likely didn’t hurt either because reports suggest that people like Katy Perry wound up taking home $150,000 for their guest appearance so Meghan’s likely to be $300,000, per the outlet.

The couple are expected to stay in Australia for a total of four days and their tour began on April 14th, 2026. This trip marks their first time returning since 2018, which was right before their exit from the UK became known as ‘Megxit’.

Their engagements for this private tour has included Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne as of yet. They also spent time in the hospital's therapeutic garden and Meghan helped serve food at a Melbourne women's domestic violence shelter.

Apart from that they have done a joint event at Australian National Veterans Arts Museum.

As for other solo outings, Prince Harry attended the InterEdge Summit at the CENTREPIECE venue at Melbourne Park and Meghan Markle is slated to host a three-day, women-only wellness retreat in Sydney called ‘Her Best Life’ from April 17, 2026.