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The internet had barely recovered from Meghan Markle’s yogurt-in-a-fragile-glass fiasco when another kitchen controversy erupted — and this one spread even faster. A simple Thanksgiving turkey video posted to her Instagram became an instant lightning rod, igniting criticism from home cooks, food-safety experts and even professional chefs. Within hours, social media had crowned her with a new, rather brutal nickname: the Salmonella Sussex Disaster.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, has been getting into the holiday spirit, sharing a video of herself preparing a turkey to Instagram
The now-viral clip shows the Duchess preparing a Thanksgiving turkey, massaging a seasoning blend over the raw bird while wearing several rings, a bracelet and a watch — all sparkling under the kitchen lights as she kneaded, flipped and rubbed the meat. At first glance, it looked like a typical lifestyle-brand moment. But viewers quickly zoomed in, horrified, pointing out that wearing jewelry while touching raw poultry is one of the most basic food-safety mistakes imaginable. The comments grew exponentially, each one more blunt than the last.
In the short clip, the actress mixed a variety of seasonings into a bowl, rubbing the mixture onto the raw bird to then put it into the oven
One viewer wrote, “Who handles raw turkey with rings on? It’s literally Food Safety 101.” Another added, “It only takes one scratch under a ring to cause a full infection. How does she not know this?” A third, sounding genuinely distressed, said: “I was eating while watching this — big mistake.” And then came the comment that seemed to define the entire reaction: “She touches the turkey, then the pepper grinder, then the bowl… then everything else in the kitchen. No wonder people are calling this the Salmonella Sussex Disaster.”
Viewers were horrified she kept all of her jewelry on while handling the raw meat – sparking concern about her lack of kitchen hygiene
The criticism wasn’t entirely unfounded. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has repeatedly warned that raw poultry can spread salmonella to anything it touches, and jewelry is notorious for trapping bacteria. Food-safety organisations echoed the same message, noting that even thorough handwashing isn’t enough if rings and bracelets remain on — because the germs will simply transfer back onto clean hands once the jewelry is touched again. And in the clip, viewers noticed Meghan rubbing seasoning into the turkey and then immediately reaching for utensils, bowls, and spices without visibly washing her hands in between.
But what elevated the backlash into its current frenzy was timing. Meghan has been pushing a polished, curated domestic-goddess image through her As Ever brand — a blend of lifestyle, kitchen aesthetics and “perfect hostess” energy. The turkey video was clearly intended to reinforce that persona: cozy lighting, soft music, clean countertops, and Meghan in an effortless, glossy-home aesthetic. Instead, the internet decided it demonstrated the exact opposite. “She wants to look like she knows what she’s doing,” one TikTok user said, “but that’s not how any real cook handles raw poultry.”
Another person went further, suggesting the video should be flagged as “a public health hazard.” And an irritated chef from New York — reacting in a stitched video that has already clocked up millions of views — simply sighed: “If you must play domestic goddess for Instagram, at least learn the basics first.”
Some commenters defended Meghan, arguing that many home cooks don’t remove rings and she may simply have overlooked the detail. Others suggested the reaction was exaggerated. But the dominant tone remained overwhelmingly frustrated, with many pointing out that her previous “kitchen mishap” — suggesting children should eat yogurt from a delicate coupe glass that could easily shatter — was still fresh in everyone’s minds. “One week it’s broken glass risks. The next week it’s salmonella risks. What’s going on in that kitchen?” one person wrote.
This latest backlash also reignited a broader online debate about Meghan’s lifestyle venture. Critics accused her of prioritizing aesthetics over practicality. Supporters countered that the scrutiny was unfair and disproportionate. But the viral momentum was undeniable, and the sarcastic nickname kept spreading, especially among cooking channels and meme accounts.
One Instagram food critic summed it up sharply: “She wants Martha Stewart lighting with YouTube-chef credibility. But what we got was influencer-level cross-contamination.” Others hinted that the incident showed the growing disconnect between highly curated online lifestyles and real-world kitchen standards.
By the end of the day, the comment sections across platforms had become a blend of alarm, amusement and exasperation. Some demanded she re-film with proper hygiene. Others joked the turkey should file a complaint. And many simply asked why no one on her production team stopped her. As one exasperated viewer concluded: “It’s Thanksgiving. Not a medieval trial. No one wants to eat bacteria for dinner.”
Whether Meghan will address the criticism remains unclear. For now, the internet has already made its verdict — and the nickname, cruel as it is, appears unlikely to disappear anytime soon.