Meghan films top-secret appearance on MasterChef after breaking away from Harry during day two of their whirlwind Australian tour

Meghan has filmed a special guest role on Masterchef Australia after breaking away from Harry on the morning of the second day of their tour Down Under.

While Harry attended an event for men’s mental health charity Movember, Meghan’s car dashed away from that venue, Whitten Oval, to the nearby Melbourne Showgrounds where MasterChef has its famous studio.

The hugely popular show is usually filmed from October to November and premieres in April, however, Daily Mail understands a one-off Mystery Box challenge was filmed to include the Duchess.

Meghan has a love of cooking, running her own lifestyle brand, ‘As Ever’.

The regular judges Andy Allen, Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin, and Jean-Christophe Novelli welcomed the duchess.

However, it’s understood the regular cast of Season 18 of the show were not a part of the day’s filming and special guest contestants were brought in.

While Meghan’s appearance was a closely guarded secret before and during filming, the show’s broadcaster later announced it on Wednesday evening.

‘We’re welcoming someone SUPER special into the MasterChef Kitchen,’ Channel 10 said.

‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, makes a special guest appearance this season as she returns to Australia for the first time since 2018,’ it continued.

MasterChef Australia also shared footage of the moment popular host Poh introduced Megan.

The duchess exuded confidence and style as she strode onto the MasterChef set in a sleek black ensemble.

Commenters were divided over the appearance with some saying they would turn off the show.

‘You’ve got to be joking,’ said one stunned fan.

‘There goes (the show’s) credibility right down the drain,’ another wrote.

‘We’re paying so much money for her to be here, while some families don’t even have food on the table.’

But others were thrilled the 44-year-old had joined the show.

‘The wonderful Meghan! A royal treat,’ one said.

Another agreed: ‘Oh I love this! She’s such a beauty’.

‘Very nice. Cooking and presentation were her interest before meeting Harry – she had a blog. Her preparations have been lovely,’ someone else chimed in.

The Duke of Sussex laid a wreath at the Last Post Ceremony during his visit to The Australian War Memorial.

The ceremony is held daily at 4.30pm to remember those on the Honour Roll.

It includes the national anthem, a piper’s lament, a soldier’s story, and the Last Post bugle call.

He then toured some exhibitions inside, which detail Australia’s war history and those who sacrificed for their country.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been accused of using a visit to a children’s hospital as a ‘photo opportunity’ by a conservative commentator.

Large crowds gathered at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne for the first stop of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s four-day tour of Australia on Tuesday.

They arrived just hours after stepping off a 15-hour business class flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne on a Qantas Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The Sussexes spent 90 minutes meeting and taking selfies with young cancer patients before they were given a tour of the wards, where they made bedside visits and took part in a therapy program.

However, the couple have come under fire from American right-wing pundit Megyn Kelly, who is a long-time critic of Meghan and once referred to her as a ‘fraud’.

‘She goes to a children’s hospital where they focus on cancer victims and makes it into a photo op for her,’ Kelly said during her self-titled podcast on Tuesday night.

‘Of course, God forbid they just go and visit the sick children in Melbourne. They have to have cameras and get their cheers and applause.

‘Like, how many times have you gone to do charitable work and you just make sure you’ve got your cameras in tow so that you get the credit? That’s the bottom line.’

The Daily Mail has contacted the hospital and the office of the Duke and Duchess.

The first photos have emerged of Prince Harry visiting the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

Donning his wearing his service medals, the Duke of Sussex took part in wreath-laying and smoking ceremonies before he was escorted inside for a private tour of the museum.

He also viewed the commemorative space For our Country, which recognises the military service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

There was no sign of Meghan, who stayed behind in Melbourne.

A small group of onlookers greeted the Duke with cries of ‘G’day Harry.’

It was in vast contrast to Harry’s previous visit to the war memorial in 2015, when large crowds braved the rain to get a glimpse of him.

Harry served for 10 years in the British Armed Forces, including two tours in Afghanistan.

Harry is expected to later attend the daily Last Post ceremony at the memorial before delivering a keynote address to Invictus Australia in Canberra before returning to Melbourne.

Meghan Markle has joined forces with AI-powered fashion discovery platform OneOff, with wardrobe looks from her Australian tour already online.

It was announced this week that the Duchess of Sussex had joined the online platform as both a user and investor.

The site allows users to identify and purchase clothing worn by celebrities, influencers, and creators.

Meghan’s newly launched page is already live with a full breakdown of her outfit worn at the Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital and McAuley women’s homeless centre in the city’s inner-west

She looked typically stylish in a $1,250 navy dress from Sydney designer Karen Gee, which she paired with Dior’s $1,000 ‘Dioressence’ pointed-toe pumps that she first debuted in 2023.

Adding a touch of glitz to her ensemble, Meghan accessorised with yellow gold Puffy Heart earrings by Australian Real Fine Studio costing $1,118 and a Tiffany gold bracelet.

She completed the look with a gold Cartier Tank Française watch, thought to have belonged to Prince Harry‘s mother, the late Princess Diana.

Her OneOff page has a breakdown of each piece, including the brand, price and where to buy it.

It comes after Meghan sparked backlash for wearing the designer outfit and dazzling array of jewellery as she served up lunch to homeless women at the shelter.

‘Wow I wonder if the women at the homeless shelter knew they were part of her new project? Explains why she was so overdressed for the setting,’ entertainment commentator Peter Ford posted on X.

Meghan’s page has since been updated to detail the outfit she later wore at the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum.

The skirt and bomber jacket ensemble from Melbourne brand St Agni retails for a combined $1888.

About 100 Western Bulldogs fans gathered at the main entrance to Whitten Oval in Melbourne’s west on Wednesday morning, hoping to catch a glimpse of Prince Harry.

But they were left disappointed when he and his entourage slipped in through a side gate.

The fans – some of which had brought their dogs with them – waited patiently for an hour while Harry attended the engagement inside the Dogs’ HQ, and were still craning their necks and peering through the glass windows.

But unbeknownst to them, Harry in his chauffeur-driven vehicle made a quiet exit through a different side gate and slipped discreetly past them, much to their dismay.

A 18.6km drive took Harry to Tullamarine Airport, where he was whisked through the Qantas terminal by staff to board a commercial flight to Canberra.

On arrival at the airport, Harry waited until photographers at departures had been dispersed before entering the terminal.

Prince Harry spent 20 minutes kicking the footy around with Western Bulldogs players on Whitten Oval following a candid panel discussion on fatherhood.

He enthusiastically embraced pointers from Bulldogs stars Tom Liberatore, Matthew Kennedy and Adam Treloar before showing off his new skills for the cameras.

Harry then ran across the oval to kick the ball around with children.

‘Good kick, man,’ he told on boy.

‘It’s a slippery ball that.’

The players also gave him a Bulldogs scarf, in addition to the two jerseys presented earlier for Harry’s children Archie and Lilibet.

Harry revealed that his kids were fans of popular children’s group The Wiggles, who were also in attendance.

Harry has since left Bulldogs headquarters, much to the dismay of disappointed fans waiting outside the front entrance hoping to meet him.

The Duke of Sussex will now travel on a commercial Qantas flight to Canberra to visit the Australian War Memorial.

Prince Harry has candidly opened up about fatherhood struggles in a panel discussion with Dr Zac Seidler, Global Director of Research at the Movember Institute of Men’s Health during his visit to AFL club Western Bulldogs.

The Duke of Sussex recalled how he began keeping a journal as soon as he and Meghan found out they were expecting their first child, which was publicly confirmed during their 2018 Australian tour as newlyweds.

‘It’s the most important and transformational role a guy can ever move into,’ he said.

‘That role….gives you purpose.’

Harry also spoke about his early struggles after son Archie was born in May 2019, when the newborn was more reliant on Meghan.

‘Those days, weeks, after birth are a real struggle,’ he admitted.

‘If I was stressed, the moment I held Archie…he would notice it quicker than I could,’ he said.

Harry discussed about the importance of having therapy as he shared a heartfelt plea to new dads.

It comes after new Movember research revealed three in five Australian dads surveyed said that no health professional asked about their mental health during pregnancy or in the 12 months after birth.

‘You’re not alone,’ Harry said.

‘For me, [going to therapy] was a sign of strength, not weakness.

‘Don’t ever let yourself get to the point where you are no use to anybody.

‘You want to be the best version of yourself for your kids.’

The panel discussion was the first time Harry had publicly spoken since arriving in Australia one day earlier.

Prince Harry has arrived at Whitten Oval in Melbourne’s west, the headquarters of AFL club Western Bulldogs.

Harry is well known for his advocacy for men’s mental health, and his visit will coincide with the release of Movember’s new national research report.

He chose to visit the Bulldogs due to the club’s strong ties to the Movember charity, which raises funds for men’s health

The Duke of Sussex tried to dodge a reporter’s questions as he slipped through a side door shortly after 9am, bypassing the large crowd at the front entrance.

‘Harry, what do you know about AFL? You’re looking for a kick at the footy?’ Seven reporter Andrew McCormack asked him.

Harry reportedly replied: ‘Not enough.’

Bulldogs midfielder Adam Treloar brought along his six-year-old daughter Georgie, who was excited to meet the royal.

‘I’m going to say hello,’ she told Channel Seven.

The visit began with club officials greeting Harry and presented him with two jerseys for his children Archie and Lilibet, with their names on the back.

An outwardly confident Prince Harry is revelling at being back in the spotlight Down Under, while Meghan Markle is showing her ‘humility’ via tried-and-tested ‘royal tour’ gestures, a body language expert has claimed.

Body language expert Judi James told the Daily Mail that on day one of their Australian tour, the Duke of Sussex appeared to be enjoying basking in the glow of a warm welcome as he strode ahead during the couple’s arrival at the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum.

A more cautious Meghan, tightly gripping the Prince’s arm, was apparently keen on playing a more supportive role.

‘This is very much Harry taking charge and acting like the main star of the show as he guides and then ushers a clinging Meghan along with a steering pat on the back,’ Ms James said.

The highly publicised three-day retreat Meghan Markle is set to headline in Sydney has failed to sell out – over a month after the women-only event was first announced.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are currently embarking on a four-day quasi-royal tour Down Under that some have suggested is a ‘money-making’ exercise in ‘self promotion’.

One of the highlights of their trip is a ‘fireside chat’ with the Duchess at the AU$2,699 per-head Her Best Life retreat organised by events company Besties, which is founded by Australian radio presenter Jackie ‘O’ Henderson and her manager Gemma O’Neill.

While the wellbeing event is capped at an ‘intimate’ 300 guests, the retreat has failed to sell out despite organisers claiming the ticket allocation was ‘exhausted’ on March 23.

The ‘standard experience’ includes access to Meghan’s speech and all other activities, as well as a ‘twin-share’ hotel room. VIP ticket holders have solo rooms, with a total cost of £1,700 (AU$3,199).

Three days before the retreat begins, a post on Her Best Life podcast’s Instagram account announced a ‘final last-minute availability’ of tickets for three solo rooms and two double rooms at the five-star Intercontinental Hotel at Coogee Beach.

‘Guest list now closing – final availability due to movement. See you ladies this weekend!! Can’t wait!,’ the post was captioned.

Day two of Harry and Meghan’s whirlwind tour of Australia is underway.

While the Duke of Sussex has engagements in both Melbourne and Canberra on Wednesday, mystery surrounds Meghan’s movements, with no events listed on her official itinerary.

London’s The Telegraph has reported that she could potentially hold private meetings with potential buyers, partners and marketing executives after her brand As Ever was recently trademarked in Australia.

Harry will travel to Whitten Oval, the home of AFL club Western Bulldogs for a Movember event.

He will then travel to Canberra to visit the Australian War Memorial, where he will meet Indigenous veterans, attend an Invictus Australia reception and participate in the daily Last Post Ceremony.

It’s not Harry’s first visit to the Australian War Memorial.

He famously visited the memorial in April 2015 (pictured below), which was his only public appearance before starting a four-week attachment with the Australian army.

Hundreds braved the rain to get a glimpse of Prince Harry.

‘It’s always lovely to have anyone visit the Australian War Memorial, but to have someone like Prince Harry, who himself is a veteran and has been here before, to welcome him back, I’m very much looking forward to it,’ memorial chief executive Matt Anderson PSM told Sunrise.

‘It’s a good day for the memorial and a good day for our veterans.’

He has met Harry several times previously, both in Australia and the UK.

‘He is very down to earth and is very much about the people,’ Mr Anderson said.