Meghan Markle Secures Major International TV Role as Production Details Confirm Travel Plans for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet

Meghan Markle is heading to Australia after landing a high-profile permanent judging role on the revived series of Junior MasterChef, with plans pointing towards Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet accompanying her overseas.

The Duchess of Sussex will join established television host Poh Ling Yeow on the judging panel for the culinary competition, which originally left screens in 2020 after three seasons.

According to News.com.au, the extended filming commitment in Melbourne means her two young children are expected to travel along for the multi-week production schedule.

Meghan Markle wearing a cream apron.

Melbourne Production and Extended Family Travel

Filming is scheduled across several weeks in Melbourne during the first half of 2027. The extended duration away from the family’s base means Archie and Lilibet will almost certainly embark on their inaugural trip Down Under.

While formal logistics are still being finalised, the reality of a multi-week shoot on the other side of the globe makes a solo trip improbable for the mother of two.

Key points confirmed regarding the upcoming production include:

• Filming will take place entirely on location in Melbourne across an intensive multi-week block.
• The project marks the official reboot of Australia’s Junior MasterChef franchise following a multi-year hiatus.
• Co-star Poh Ling Yeow, who finished as runner-up in the inaugural 2009 adult season, will share judging duties alongside Meghan.

Prince Harry made a surprise cameo on MasterChef Australia while his wife was a guest judge.

Previous Screen Appearance and Secret Australian Cameo

The permanent contract follows Meghan’s guest appearance on the flagship edition of Australia’s MasterChef in 2026. That spot was secretly recorded while visiting Australia alongside Prince Harry in April.

During that appearance, viewers witnessed an unscripted video call from Prince Harry that made the final edit. Harry checked in while filming was actively underway, briefly interrupting the tasting round.

“Hi, my love! My husband’s here,” Meghan announced to the kitchen contestants when the call came through. “What’s going on? Have I interrupted something important?” Harry asked.

Meghan replied: “Well, we are actually in the middle of tasting all the dishes. We have four incredible cooks here… It’s amazing. They’re so talented. We wish you were here.”

After Meghan highlighted a particularly potent hot sauce that she joked would prove “too much” for him, Harry signed off warmly: “Well, go and enjoy it. I’m very sorry to disturb you. All is well here. I’ll see you later.”

MasterChef Australia judge Poh Ling Yeow and Meghan Markle.

Colleagues Dismiss Set Rumours

Following that initial recording session, rumours surfaced suggesting workplace friction on set. Co-judge Poh moved quickly to refute the tabloid gossip during an interview on radio programme Nathan, Nat and Shaun.

“We had such a lovely time with her, and she was a model citizen!” Poh stated. “Honestly, no fuss, hung out with us, didn’t scurry away into her green room. She was engaged with the whole process and knows her food. Nothing to complain about at all.”

Poh expressed astonishment at the intense scrutiny directed at the Duchess, labelling the media storm and “meltdown” claims as entirely detached from reality.

“It’s the first time anything like that’s kind of happened to me, so it’s been very eye-opening for me to see what she cops every day. It’s really full-on,” Poh noted, calling the hostile reports “ridiculous”.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Archie and Lilibet in a garden setting.

Family Relocation to the United Kingdom

The Australian career move arrives shortly after a monumental transition for the Sussex household. The couple relocated their family from Montecito, California, to the United Kingdom in August.

Seven-year-old Prince Archie and five-year-old Princess Lilibet are now enrolled at a school situated outside London. In a discussion with GQ, Prince Harry revealed both children have adapted remarkably well to British schooling and village life.

“It’s been nice to be close to friends, family, friends and friends and their children as well – to be able to have endless play dates to really help our kids settle in,” Harry explained.

Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Harry reflected on the central motivation behind returning to his home soil after years in the United States, citing his children’s upbringing as the driving force.

“To actually have my whole family there with me, the place that I grew up, wanting to be able to show my kids where I grew up and have them have the experiences to some extent that I had – the good rather than necessarily the bad – provided real, proper, serious thinking as to, ‘This is an opportunity, let’s do it now.'”

💡 The upcoming Melbourne shoot represents Meghan’s most prominent return to regular television broadcasting in years, bridging her international family life in Britain with high-profile commercial media ventures abroad.

🔍 Balancing UK schooling with overseas production schedules will require careful co-ordination as the 2027 filming window approaches.

👇 What do you think of Meghan stepping into a major judging role on Australian television? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Source: www.hellomagazine.com