Meghan Markle is reportedly disappointed that her latest television opportunity is a guest appearance on Junior MasterChef Australia. The Duchess of Sussex stepped down as a working royal alongside Prince Harry in 2020, and the couple moved to the United States. According to an unnamed source cited by Rob Shuter, Meghan had hoped to build a Hollywood career on the scale of Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle empire. However, that assessment has not been independently verified.
Insider reveals how Meghan Markle wanted to replicate Gwyneth Paltrow’s formula
Sources attached to Rob Shuter revealed that Meghan Markle is frustrated that Junior MasterChef Australia is the only credible television project in hand. The Duchess of Sussex had hoped to attract A-list projects once she stepped down as a working royal. Unfortunately, things haven’t panned out as she hoped.
The former Suits star had reportedly anticipated that Hollywood’s major studios and top-tier directors would line up with prominent career opportunities. Instead, guest television segments have dominated her public appearances, marking a stark contrast from the elite entertainment inner circles she originally sought to command alongside figures like Oprah Winfrey and George Clooney.
MasterChef Australia is a formidable force, and several famous and semi-famous celebrities have guested on it. However, it doesn’t attract the crème de la crème of Hollywood that the Duchess of Sussex is so eager to cater to.
An insider explained that Markle seemingly wanted to replicate Gwyneth Paltrow’s formula of success. The Oscar winner established a massive lifestyle empire, Goop, and marketed herself as a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. Markle wanted to operate on that humongous level as well.
Meghan’s appearance on MasterChef Australia helped the programme achieve its largest Sunday audience since 2023, according to its production company. However, an unnamed source cited by Shuter claimed the appearance had not delivered the larger career opportunities Meghan had hoped for. That assessment has not been independently verified.
The Duchess of Sussex wanted to become the next big thing in Hollywood, with a thriving career in acting and entrepreneurship. However, “appearing on reality television in Australia represents a very different trajectory.”
