The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, received a chorus of boos from a liberal American television audience after making a pointed political joke about former President Donald Trump during a surprise appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
A Surprise Royal Guest
In a pre-recorded Christmas sketch that aired this week, the 41-year-old prince interrupted Colbert's monologue about Hallmark-style holiday movies. The segment, promoted by his wife Meghan on her Instagram, saw Harry meekly walk onto the stage of The Ed Sullivan Theater to initial applause. Colbert introduced him with his full title, "Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales Sussex," before questioning why an actual prince would want a role in a cheesy festive film.
"Well, you Americans are obsessed with Christmas movies and you're clearly obsessed with royalty, so why not?" Harry quipped. When Colbert pushed back on the obsession with royalty, the prince delivered the line that sparked the audience reaction: "Really? I heard you elected a king." The joke, a clear reference to Donald Trump, was met with a mix of howls and boos from the studio crowd.
Jabs at CBS and a Nod to Meghan
The prince didn't stop there. Later in the skit, while discussing what he would do to land a movie role, Harry took a swipe at Colbert's network, CBS. "I'll settle a baseless lawsuit with the White House, all the things you people in TV do," he said, referencing the network's settlement of a defamation lawsuit brought by Donald Trump over an edited interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Colbert pointedly replied, "I didn't do that," to which Harry retorted, "Maybe that's why you were canceled," a joke that landed well and drew significant applause. The prince also made a deadpan reference to his wife, the former actress Meghan Markle, when Colbert asked if he had connections to any famous TV stars.
Context and Aftermath
The light-hearted segment provided a stark contrast to personal developments for the Sussex family. The appearance was promoted by Meghan Markle the day after reports emerged that her estranged father, Thomas Markle, had undergone three hours of surgery and was in intensive care in the Philippines after falling ill at home.
The sketch concluded with Harry and Colbert transitioning to a wintry set to mock Hallmark movie clichés, ending in an embrace. While Meghan did not appear on screen, she later shared a clip from the show on her social media. This marks another high-profile US television spot for Prince Harry, following previous appearances on shows hosted by Jimmy Fallon and James Corden in 2023.
