Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are nearing the end of their Australia tour, and Markle will appear as a celebrity judge on MasterChef Australia this Sunday, reportedly “testing the waters” for a comeback to television.
With this appearance, the Duchess of Sussex will mark her first TV appearance since her Netflix series, “With Love, Meghan.” Now, a PR expert claimed that Markle’s timing and choice of show suggest careful planning.
Meghan Markle treating MasterChef Australia appearance as ‘trial run,’ per expert
Celebrity PR expert Kayley Cornelius told The Mirror that appearing on MasterChef Australia during her tour to Australia with Prince Harry is “far from random or one-off appearances” for Meghan Markle.
Cornelius claimed, “There’s a clear strategy at play here.” Moreover, this “strategy” allegedly “very much points to a more permanent return to the world of mainstream celebrity being front of mind.”
Cornelius asserted, “Australia is a particularly savvy choice too as it’s a market that’s historically been receptive to her, but it also allows her to trial this next phase slightly outside of the intense scrutiny she faces in the US and UK.”
Besides, the expert suggested that Markle is “on a mission to really nail down her personal branding while she’s in Australia.” In that, she is allegedly “building a loyal audience base ahead of what looks like a potential move to bring her As Ever brand over,” and she wants to construct “a stronger identity beyond her royal titles alone” to help carry her brand differently.
Cornelius described the MasterChef role as a possible turning point, suggesting that Markle may want to “return to the world of mainstream celebrity culture as well as TV.” Hence, her appearance on MasterChef Australia allegedly “feels very much like her ‘testing the waters’ to gauge audience appetite for a full-scale comeback.”
The PR expert believes that Sunday’s episode carries extra weight for Meghan Markle. And if viewers respond well, it might just open the door to more mainstream TV work.