‘Why Should They Pay?’ Meghan Markle’s MasterChef Return Sparks Taxpayer Row as Political Parties Refuse to Pay a ‘Single Cent’
Meghan Markle’s planned 2027 television appearance in Australia has sparked a debate over security costs. According to the Herald Sun, politicians from both major parties in Victoria said taxpayers shouldn’t pay for her personal security in Melbourne. The Duchess of Sussex will guest star on Junior MasterChef Australia.
Labor reportedly won’t pay for Markle’s security if it stays in power after November’s election. Opposition leader Jess Wilson also agreed. According to the outlet, the Liberal-National opposition won’t spend “not a single cent” on her protection. Wilson had already questioned security costs during Harry and Markle’s April 2026 visit to Australia.
“Suggestions today that Harry and Meghan, who are coming here as private citizens for a commercial purpose, may be provided Victoria Police security or protection at taxpayer expense should appal every single Victorian,” Wilson said, according to ABC News on April 14.
Even X users aren’t happy with the decision. One wrote, “Why should they pay for a woman that is a guest on a show security. Any other celebrity that goes to a different country pays their own way. She’s not a royal representing the government.”
Another user added, “What happened to cancel culture? Cancel her!!! She is aware of potential child abuse material allegedly from her own family and is now hosting a children’s cooking program?? Make it make sense.” Junior MasterChef Australia is returning to Network 10 in 2027 after six years.
Markle appeared on the show back in April 2026. She said coming back was an easy yes. “I had an incredible time with the whole team at MasterChef this past April, so when they approached me to come back and work with this young group of talent, it was an easy yes,” she said in the production company’s announcement.
She also talked about cooking with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. “I love cooking with my own kids, so seeing what these young stars create in the kitchen is going to be a lot of fun,” Markle added. She’ll join chef Poh Ling Yeow, who’s back to judge the adult show’s 19th season in 2027.
Filming for the junior series will run for several weeks in Melbourne in early to mid-2027. The exact premiere date hasn’t been announced. It’s also unclear if Prince Harry or the kids will join Markle. The Sussexes visited Australia in 2026. They stopped in Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney for a four-day trip. However, their children, Archie and Lilibet, stayed behind and didn’t join them.
Security has been an issue for Harry and Markle since they left their senior royal roles in 2020. The couple lost their previous publicly funded security arrangements after leaving the U.K. for California. Harry later took the Home Office to court over the decision.
However, he lost his appeal in May 2025. The Court of Appeal ruled that the security arrangements were lawful. The issue came up again after the Sussexes returned to the U.K. in 2026. In September, RAVEC agreed to review security arrangements for both Harry and Markle.
