Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have long been subjects of intense public scrutiny, but over the years, their portrayal in pop culture has added an increasingly biting layer to that criticism.
According to The Dailymail, from comedy sketches to animated satire and award show one-liners, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have found themselves parodied by some of television’s most iconic voices.
Satire targeted the couple early on, with Channel 4’s The Windsors poking fun as far back as 2016. The British comedy portrayed Prince Harry offering a producer a knighthood to help Meghan land acting work, a jab at her Hollywood aspirations.
“If I’m going to make it, I mean really make it, it needs to be because of who I am, not who I know,” Meghan’s character insisted, storming off to Los Angeles. The punchlines haven’t stopped since.
In 2021, HBO’s animated series The Prince, featuring voices from Sophie Turner and Orlando Bloom, mocked the couple’s career pursuits post-royalty. One scene depicts Harry asking if Meghan can “get another show,” followed by her dismissively recalling an offer from HGTV she deemed beneath them.
Then came South Park’s brutal takedown in 2023 following the release of Harry’s memoir Spare.
The satire was stinging: the couple carried signs reading “We want privacy” and “Stop looking at us,” all while promoting a book titled Aaargh. Many saw it as a direct parody of the Sussexes’ conflicting desire for privacy amid public exposure.
Another animated institution, Family Guy, joined the chorus in 2023. In a cheeky scene, Harry and Meghan are seen lounging poolside when a butler announces, “Your millions from Netflix for… no one knows what,” mocking their high-profile streaming deal.
Even live-action satire has taken aim. At the 2023 Grammys, host Trevor Noah cracked a joke about Harry’s infamous Spare revelation regarding a case of frostbite.
Saturday Night Live also weighed in. In a 2024 segment, a skit about a new UK-US trade deal featured a joke implying the Sussexes were part of the bargain and America was stuck with them.
The frequent satire reflects the couple’s increasingly polarising presence, especially in the US Though Harry remains relatively popular among Americans, recent YouGov polls show Prince William and King Charles now outshine him. Meghan ranks even lower, despite being the only US citizen on the list.
Criticism of the couple also intensified after Harry’s court battle over UK security arrangements and his BBC interview accusing King Charles of cutting off contact.
Still, sources close to Harry say the constant mockery only deepens his loyalty to Meghan. “It’s horrible for him to know that people don’t like his wife,” one friend told the Mail. “He adores her and doesn’t think she deserves any of the backlash.”
While satire has long been a tool to lampoon the powerful, the Sussexes’ unique role, somewhere between royalty, celebrity, and influencer, ensures they remain prime targets.