The Duke of Sussex delivered an unexpected and humorous late-night television moment, making a surprise appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and cracking a joke about former US President Donald Trump.
A Festive and Funny Audition
In a comedy segment that aired on Wednesday night, 4 December 2025, Prince Harry played a fictionalised version of himself, desperately auditioning to become a Hallmark movie 'Christmas prince'. The sketch saw the duke wandering through the CBS studio, claiming he was lost while looking for a try-out for a film titled 'Gingerbread Christmas Prince saves Christmas in Nebraska'.
When host Stephen Colbert questioned why a real prince would want such a role, Harry quipped: "You Americans are obsessed with Christmas movies, and you're clearly obsessed with royalty, so why not?"
The Trump Reference and Playful Banter
The duke's comedy turn took a pointedly political edge when he referenced CBS's recent legal settlement with Donald Trump. Eager to land the part, Harry declared he would "do anything", listing his commitments: "I'll record a self-tape, I'll fly myself to an audition, settle a baseless lawsuit with the White House — all the things you people in TV do."
Colbert was quick to retort, "Hey, I didn't do any of those things," only for Harry to fire back with the punchline: "Maybe that's why you're cancelled." The exchange drew significant laughter from the studio audience.
From Memoir Promo to Christmas Cheer
This marked Prince Harry's second appearance on Colbert's show, having last visited in January 2023 to promote his memoir, Spare. That previous interview set a two-year viewership record for the programme. The announcement for this week's surprise sketch was also shared by the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, who previewed a clip on her Instagram story.
The pair first teased the guest spot in a video featuring a viral soundbite from The Great British Bake Off, released earlier on Wednesday. Other guests on Wednesday's episode included Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon and Irish actress and singer Jessie Buckley.
Since stepping back as working members of the royal family in January 2020, Harry and Meghan have been raising their children in Montecito, California. This latest foray into light-hearted television comedy suggests the duke continues to carve a unique path in his public life in the United States.
