Entertainment13 September, 20262 min read
SNL UK Mocks Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Balmoral Return With Netflix Jokes
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SNL UK Season 2 opener mocks Harry and Meghan’s return to Britain at Balmoral. King Charles and Queen Camilla are mocked in Balmoral setting, with jokes about Netflix money.
10 outlets told this the same way.
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SNL UK Roasts Return
Saturday Night Live UK opened its second-season premiere on Saturday, Sept. 12 with a cold open set at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where King Charles III and Queen Camilla were portrayed by Larry Dean and Emma Sidi.
“Daddy, it was $60 million! How long was it meant to last?”
In the sketch, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle—played by Jack Shep and Ayoade Bamgboye—arrived and Harry announced, “Daddy, I’m home,” as Charles asked, “Harry, what are you two doing here? This castle is for royals only.”
The comedy then targeted the couple’s finances and Netflix deal, with Charles saying, “Don’t tell me you spent all your Netflix money already,” before Harry replied, “Daddy, it was $60 million! How long was it meant to last?”
Meghan’s lifestyle show was also mocked when she presented Camilla an ice tray and said, “It’s ice. I made it myself. I can give you the recipe. I’m kind of a wiz in the kitchen,” followed by Harry adding, “It’s true. She hires the best cooks.”
Royal Status Letter
The SNL UK sketch aired after King Charles issued a letter via the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Benyon, clarifying that Harry and Meghan are “no longer working Members of The Royal Family.”
In that guidance, the King said their position, including “the personal latitude it brings the couple in respect of financial independence and protection of their privacy as they would wish,” would continue to be respected.
A People source close to Harry and Meghan pushed back on the framing, saying, “They are public figures. Members of the public know who they are,” and arguing that “The idea that they can live a normal, ‘private’ life is sadly not realistic.”
As the BBC described the wider context of the couple’s return, it said the government would launch an immediate investigation into the situation, while Labour Minister Tahmina Akhter pledged, “We will hold the owners fully accountable,”—a line that appeared in the same news package as the SNL UK coverage.
Next Hosts and Debate
Beyond the cold open, coverage tied the sketch to the couple’s August move back to the U.K. with their two children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, and noted that the Season 2 premiere was hosted by Jeff Goldblum.
“Jamie Demetriou andChicken Shop Date‘sAmelia Dimoldenbergare set to host upcoming episodes.”
People also reported that Jamie Demetriou and Chicken Shop Date’s Amelia Dimoldenberg are set to host upcoming episodes, while TV Insider said the show airs Saturdays at 10 p.m. GMT (2 p.m. ET) on SKY One and streaming on NOW TV.
Variety’s account of the same opening exchange included Charles asking, “Don’t tell me you’ve spent that Netflix money already,” and Harry responding, “Daddy, it was $16 million,” before Charles said, “What a waste you’ve become, you’re lucky your father is not around to see this.”
While the Netflix figure differed between outlets, the sketch’s recurring jokes about Meghan’s “whizz in the kitchen” and Harry’s line that “She hires the best cooks” stayed central to the cold open’s portrayal of their return to Britain.