Prince Harry and Meghan's U.K. return gets a very British roast in Saturday Night Live UK sketch
Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, arrive to meet volunteer first responders during a visit to Australia's Bondi Beach on April 17. (Jonathan Brady/Pool Photo/The Associated Press)Social SharingPrince Harry and his wife Meghan's highly publicized return to England got the full Saturday Night Live UK treatment — and in true British fashion, the welcome was served with a distinctly chilly reception.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were mocked during the Season 2 premiere of the late-night show on Saturday night.
The four-minute, 52-second bit took aim at, among other things, the couple's deal with Netflix, Meghan's television and business ventures, and the Royal Family's long-running controversies surrounding race.
Prince Harry and wife Meghan arrive in U.K.
The cold open began with Harry and Meghan, played by Jack Shep and Ayoade Bamgboye, visiting King Charles and Queen Camilla, portrayed by Larry Dean and Emma Sidi, at a sketch-set version of Balmoral Castle — the Scottish estate where Charles traditionally spends his summer retreat.
"Daddy, I'm home!" Harry proclaims to his father as he walks through the doorway. But the make-believe monarch seems less than pleased to see his son.
"Harry, what are you two doing here?" he scowls. "This castle is for royals only."
The fictional couple reveal that they are moving back to the U.K. "and need your help."
That sets the stage for Charles's withering indictment of the couple's finances and post-royal ventures.
"Don’t tell me you spent all your Netflix money already," Charles bemoans, referring to the multi-year production deal the couple signed with Netflix after they left the U.K. and stepped down as working royals in 2020. According to People, the five-year contract came to an end in 2025 after Netflix chose not to renew the deal under the same terms.
"Daddy, it was $60 million. How long was it meant to last?" Harry responded, drawing laughs from the studio audience.
How will the British press cover Harry and Meghan this time around?
Under the Netflix deal, the Sussexes produced several projects, including the wildly popular docuseries Harry & Meghan and Meghan's upbeat lifestyle and cooking program, With Love, Meghan.
Meghan used the latter Netflix series as a promotional platform for her lifestyle brand, As Ever, featuring jams, teas and honeys on the show. That, too, became fodder for Saturday's sketch, which didn't miss the opportunity to poke fun at her attempt to position herself as a lifestyle guru.
"Hey, step-queen, I brought you a gift ... it's ice ... I made it myself," the fictional Meghan told Camilla. "I'm kind of a whiz in the kitchen."
"It's true," Harry added. "She hires the best cooks."
Among the sketch's other biting moments, the writers appeared to reference Harry and Meghan's 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, during which they discussed controversial comments allegedly made within the Royal Family about what colour their son Prince Archie's skin might be.
During Saturday night's cold open, when Camilla greeted the couple, she began by saying, "Hello, sweet Harry," while kissing him on the cheek. Then, turning to the fictional Meghan, she said: "And beautiful Meghan, as brown as ever."
The segment then transitioned into a spoof of Britain's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, after SNL UK breakout star George Fouracres — portraying Burnham — burst into the room. The remainder of the skit focused on teasing Burnham's perceived obsession with being viewed as a "regular guy" while Prince Harry and Meghan ignored him and canoodled in the background.
The Duke and Duchess returned to the U.K. from the United States with their two children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, late last month. The family is expected to live privately outside of London.
No official reason has been given for the relocation. The couple's children have been enrolled in British schools and reportedly started classes this month.
Kayla McLean is a web journalist with CBC News in Toronto. She grew up in Brampton, Ont., and received her bachelor of arts in media production at Toronto Metropolitan University. Before joining CBC in 2024, she worked as a breaking news reporter at Global News Toronto — covering everything from crime, sports, festivals and politics. She also reported for Global News's current affairs show, The New Reality, covering stories with a focus on racial equality and climate justice. She also previously held positions as a chase producer and writer for CTV News Channel.
