Meghan Markle is facing a fresh wave of online scrutiny after viewers claimed her latest comments about growing up in California contradicted stories she had previously shared about her childhood.
The Duchess of Sussex appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia earlier this week, where she spoke about developing a love for food from an early age.
Highlights
- Meghan Markle is facing backlash over her latest comments, which contradict stories she previously shared about her childhood.
- Critics compared her "farm-to-table" upbringing remarks with earlier "latchkey kid" comments.
- Viewers also questioned reports of alleged behind-the-scenes tension during Markle's ‘MasterChef Australia’ appearance.
However, eagle-eyed viewers quickly compared those remarks with comments she made on her own Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, prompting many to label her a "narcissist" and a "liar."
One skeptical netizen wrote, "My grandmother used to say 'If you're going to lie you better have a good memory'. How true."
Meghan Markle's MasterChef Australia semi-final appearance reignited scrutiny over her past childhood remarks
Image credits: Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation
Meghan appeared as a special guest judge during the July 26 episode of MasterChef Australia, where the contestants competed in a high-stakes immunity challenge.
The appearance also served to promote the Duchess' growing lifestyle brand, As Ever, as well as her Netflix cooking series, With Love, Meghan, further cementing her transition into the food and lifestyle space.
While discussing her relationship with cooking, Meghan reflected on her childhood in California and credited it with shaping her appreciation for fresh ingredients.
Image credits: MasterChefAustralia
Image credits: Xena18832894
She shared on the show, "I grew up in California and so, as you know, we have incredible produce, so you just start to love farm-to-table at an early age."
Markle also praised her mother, Doria Ragland, calling her "an incredible cook," before adding that she spent much of her childhood watching cooking shows.
"Food and cooking are how I show my nurturing and love for my friends, family and my kids," Meghan added.
Image credits: meghan
Shortly after the episode aired, clips from Meghan's appearance began circulating across social media, with many viewers claiming her latest remarks about her childhood contradicted stories she had shared publicly in previous years.
Much of the criticism stemmed from comments Meghan made on her Netflix lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, released months before her MasterChef Australia appearance.
Many online argued Markle's farm-to-table childhood comments conflicted with her earlier "latchkey kid" story
During one episode, the former Suits actress painted a very different picture of her childhood, explaining that convenience food was a regular part of life because her mother was a busy working parent.
"I was a latchkey kid," Meghan said. "I grew up with a lot of fast food and also a lot of TV-tray dinners."
She went on to name several fast-food chains she frequently ate from growing up.
Image credits: unreMARKLEble
"I used to eat a lot of El Pollo Loco, Taco Bell... Jack in the Box, because my mom loved their tacos."
As clips from both shows spread online, critics questioned how the two accounts fit together.
One commenter wrote, "M saying in her own show and in interviews that she was poor, and ate takeout and frozen TV dinners. Yet when M is a Guest Judge on a cooking competition, she ate farm-to-table fresh dishes growing up. So, which is it?"
Image credits: unreMARKLEble
Another added, "It's whatever suits her narrative in the moment. I'm beginning to believe Meghan is a pathological liar and she can't control the compulsion."
A third person commented, "The contradictions are never-ending…"
"She HAS to center herself. Every thing that's happening or being discussed, she HAS to find a way to make it about her."
“The contradictions are never-ending…” one frustrated critic wrote online reacting to Meghan's stories
Image credits: MasterChefAustralia
The latest controversy also revived several older stories Markle has shared about her upbringing.
In a 2021 open letter to members of the U.S. Congress, she described visits to the Sizzler salad bar as an occasional luxury that her parents worked hard to afford.
However, critics contrasted that account with previous interviews and social media posts in which she fondly recalled visiting the iconic Hollywood restaurant Musso & Frank Grill with her father, Thomas Markle.
Image credits: Netflix
Others also revisited earlier interviews in which Meghan described her divorced parents as remaining close and often spending time together, while some critics argued her more recent "latchkey kid" comments painted a different picture.
Not everyone agreed with the backlash, however.
Some supporters argued that both stories could easily be true because Meghan spent time living with both parents after their divorce.
One supporter wrote, "She lived in two households. Maybe her mom cooked and her dad didn't. It's quite possible."
Image credits: Netflix
Another added, "She stayed with her dad, and it is not hard to believe that's what happened when she was with him. She referred to her mom when she mentioned farm-to-home food."
A third defender echoed, "She lived in 2 separate households, her mother and grandmother and her father. So yes, it is possible to have both. Eat healthy with one parent and junk food with another. Stop nitpicking."
Reports alleged Meghan's team prohibited judges and contestants on the show from using the word "royalty" while filming
Image credits: meghan
Apart from the childhood controversy, viewers also criticized what many believed was a pre-planned FaceTime call from Prince Harry during the episode.
During the episode, as the judges were reviewing a contestant's dish, Meghan received a surprise video call from Prince Harry.
He joked from Canberra, "Have I interrupted something important?" while Markle excitedly described the food to him.
Image credits: Jonathan Brady-Pool/Getty Images
Many dismissed the moment as overly staged and designed to promote the Sussexes' public image amid a string of recent controversies.
Reports also surfaced claiming that Meghan's team had asked producers not to refer to her as "royalty" before filming.
However, judge Poh Ling Yeow accidentally violated the reported directive in a promotional clip by announcing, "We've had MasterChef royalty in the kitchen before, but no one like this..."
News24.com.au reported that the mix-up left Yeow incredibly upset, while behind-the-scenes rumors suggested the incident even brought the judge to tears.
Although the Duchess has not publicly addressed the latest criticism, the online debate continues, with supporters maintaining that both versions of her childhood can be true, while critics insist her recollections change depending on the audience.
“She’s always lying and changing what she says to fit whatever her narrative is…” fumed one user online
