Meghan Markle dubbed ‘Salmonella Sussex’ after weird turkey stuffing video
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, was met with backlash for what critics deemed ‘the worst kitchen hygiene’, branding her as ‘clueless’ after a weird turkey video
Meghan Markle has been nicknamed “Salmonella Sussex” online after posting a Thanksgiving cooking video that viewers said showed a serious hygiene slip. Before the holiday on Thursday, the Duchess of Sussex shared an Instagram Story clip of herself mixing seasonings in a bowl and rubbing the mixture onto a raw turkey.
She captioned it, “Let the ‘game’ begin,” and set the video to Bob Dylan’s “Turkey Chase,” adding a turkey emoji and the comment, “Get it? #momjokes.”
But many viewers quickly noticed that Markle, 44, who was also recently dubbed ‘Duchess Difficult’, was still wearing her jewellery, including a gold bracelet and ring, while handling the raw bird with bare hands. The oversight prompted a wave of criticism.
In a Reddit thread named “Salmonella Sussex”, one person wrote: “She has the worst kitchen hygiene. The ‘domestic’ goddess is clueless. The more she pretends to be a cook, the more fake she shows herself to be. Jewellery rubbing up against the meat, hair shedding and her grubby paws stroking the poor dead bird.”
Another commenter added: “I don’t even put on my jewellery when applying makeup, and I remove them when cooking. Jewellery are known for infections.” A third wrote: “I’ve cooked multiple turkeys and never put my hand in one like this ffs. She’s a blithering idiot in the kitchen.”
Others piled on with remarks such as: “Lordy, she so obviously knows absolutely nothing about cooking or how to work in a kitchen. For the safety of humanity, keep her out of the kitchen.”
Another critic wrote: “Aside from the hair, jewelry and bare hands all over that turkey, it’s astonishing how she also had her damn forearms laying across the body of the turkey at times. She might have well been naked and rubbing the darn thing all over herself. What an idiot! It’s such a treat she is getting called out like this.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, raw turkey can carry Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter and other harmful germs, and the juices can contaminate surfaces they touch.
Despite the backlash, the Duchess went on to share details about how she, Prince Harry, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, spent the holiday.
Through her newsletter, she revealed she was hosting friends and preparing the meal in the couple’s $14 million Montecito home.
She wrote: “Please know that as I look around my home and see my husband and children, family, dear friends (and also navigate the timing on the turkey and the love and layers that come with hostessing) — I feel grateful.”
She added, “Wishing you a Thanksgiving with full hearts and full bellies.”
They also spent time volunteering at Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles, where they helped prepare and package meals for community members in need.
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