Meghan Markle was delighted when her husband Prince Harry surprised her with a phone call during her appearance on Masterchef Australia.

The Duchess of Sussex, 44, made her show debut down under, serving as a guest judge on the Australian edition of the popular cooking competition.

Meghan was revealed to the contestants as the “mystery guest judge” who would be filling in for Andy Allen as he went on paternity leave.

The aspiring chefs appeared visibly shocked when Meghan walked into the MasterChef kitchen, with one stating: “Who would have thought you come on here to make a roll, and you get to meet the Duchess of Sussex?”

The judging of the dishes, however, was interrupted by a surprise phone call to the studio from Prince Harry.

“Hi my love!” Meghan said to the phone camera, telling the crew: “My husband’s here.” After introducing the royal to the contestants, Prince Harry can be heard saying: “Have I interrupted something important?”

Meghan took the time to introduce the “four incredible cooks” and their “amazing” dishes, singling out one of their homemade sambals before joking: “I think it might be too much for you, though! Too spicy.”

Prince Harry commended the show’s team on their set decor, prompting judge Poh Ling Yeow to respond: “We fancied the joint up for your beautiful wife.”

“That you guys have. Wonderful,” said the royal, who was in Canberra at the time visiting with veterans.

“Enjoy it!” he told his wife before signing off: “Very sorry to disturb you.” After the call ended, Meghan lovingly called her husband “a charmer”.

Elsewhere during the programme, Meghan spoke about the difference between her taste in food and her husband’s.

Cooking at home means she “has a lot of palettes to appease,” she said, noting that Harry likes a lot of “meat, potatoes and cream sauce” while she prefers “fish, grilled meats, and lots of citrus”.

Meghan was pleased, however, to reveal that their children – Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five – are, in fact, fans of Brussels sprouts.

When asked how she wanted to be addressed during her time on the show,she told the judges to call her “Meghan” instead of her royal title.

Broadcast on Australia’s Network 10 on Sunday (26 July), the episode saw contestants tasked with cooking a dish “fit for a Duchess” using Meghan’s favourite seasonal ingredients, including macadamia nuts, citrus, honey, and Brussels sprouts. The episode was filmed back in April when Meghan and Harry were on a four-day tour of Australia.

Announcing her participation in the show, Meghan said that it was “an easy yes” because of “two things: my love of food and my love of Australia”.

“It’s such a great show," she continued. “I’m just really honoured that I was asked to be able to be here with you and to be able to judge some of these meals.”