Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's return to the United Kingdom faced sharp comedic critique on Saturday Night Live UK, with a sketch depicting their visit to King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Balmoral estate.
In the satirical segment, comedians portraying the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, played by Jack Shep and Ayoade Bamgboye respectively, are met with a frosty reception from their royal counterparts, portrayed by Larry Dean and Emma Sidi. The sketch opens with Charles questioning Harry's presence at the castle, which is reserved for royals. Camilla then addresses Meghan, referring to her as 'beautiful Meghan, as brown as ever,' a line that appears to reference past controversies.
Meghan's greeting to Camilla as 'step-Queen' and her offering of ice she 'made myself' – with Harry adding his wife 'hiring the best cooks' – draws further comedic jabs. Charles directly questions the couple's intentions, to which Meghan states they are moving back to the UK and require assistance. King Charles's retort, "Don't tell me you've spent all your Netflix money already," highlights perceived financial discussions.
The skit continues with Harry expressing his desire not to be a "regular guy" despite leaving royal duties, and Charles lamenting what a "waste" Harry has become. A moment of mock panic ensues when Charles seemingly alludes to Harry's father, Prince Philip, which is quickly smoothed over.
The satire extends to a fictionalized Prime Minister Andy Burnham, played by George Fouraces, who offers a campaign-style promise of making people's lives less difficult, juxtaposed with his apparent forgetfulness about the names of towns in his constituency. The sketch concludes with Burnham's eagerness to be liked, offering to buy everyone a pint.
Reactions on social media platform X indicated that viewers found the sketch to be a pointed commentary on the couple's return and their public image. Some viewers suggested that if British television was using their return as a basis for jokes, the couple should prepare for a challenging homecoming.
The sketch arrives amid ongoing discussions about the Sussexes' status as private citizens versus public figures. Sources close to the couple have indicated that the King's characterization of them as private citizens is unrealistic given their global recognition. This perception has reportedly been a factor in the withdrawal of Uganda from hosting the 2027 Invictus Games, a decision insiders claim was a direct result of a letter from the King that categorized the couple as private individuals.
Prince Harry has a series of public engagements scheduled, including the Invictus Spirit Awards, the INSPIRE program launch, the WellChild Awards in London, and supporting the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. The couple has expressed that they are "happy to be back" in the UK, despite disputes with Buckingham Palace regarding security and their royal titles. They remain unwilling to fully accept the King's stance that nothing has changed since their departure from senior royal roles, often referred to as 'Megxit'.