Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were recently roasted on Saturday Night Live U.K. The Season 2 premiere imagined the couple dropping in on King Charles and Queen Camilla at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Larry Dean played Charles, Emma Sidi played Camilla, Jack Shep portrayed Harry, and Ayoade Bamgboye played Markle. The sketch opened with Charles and Camilla relaxing at Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands. Camilla said, “I do love our weekends away. No responsibilities, just like every other day.”
The Sussexes then arrived, much to Charles’ annoyance. “What do you two want? Don’t tell me you’ve spent all your Netflix money already,” Charles asked. To this, Harry replied, “Daddy, it was $60 million. How long was it supposed to last?”
Charles added, “What a waste you’ve become, you’re lucky your father is not around to see this.” Variety described much of the sketch as Harry and Markle being in a close embrace, which was “to the disgust of King Charles.”
Markle then handed Camilla an ice tray, saying, “I made it myself. I can give you the recipe. I’m a whizz in the kitchen.” Harry jumped in, adding, “She hires the best chefs.” The joke aimed at Markle’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, and Netflix project, With Love, Meghan.
The sketch also poked fun at the Sussexes’ non-working royal status. “Daddy, just because I don’t want to be a royal doesn’t mean I want to be a regular guy,” Harry said.
Harry and Markle announced their decision to step down as senior working royals in 2020. In February 2021, Harry discussed the decision in an interview with James Corden. He said the British press was “destroying” his mental health.
The following month, Markle spoke to Oprah Winfrey about her struggles as a working royal. “I just didn’t see a solution,” she said. The Duchess of Sussex added, “I just didn’t want to be alive anymore.” She described it as a “very clear and real and frightening constant thought.”
Markle added that she had asked the institution for help but was told it “wouldn’t be good” for them. Harry also spoke about losing financial support and security after stepping down. “My family literally cut me off financially in the first quarter of 2020,” he told Winfrey.
The episode aired shortly after Harry and Markle returned to the U.K. with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The family arrived on August 26 for an extended stay. The kids have reportedly started school in Britain. Their exact location is still unknown.
But reports have pointed to the Cotswolds after Markle was recently spotted there. Meanwhile, Charles clarified Harry and Markle’s status as “non-working royals” in a September 7 letter sent through the Lord Chamberlain.
Their position is “akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.” Their HRH styles also remain in abeyance and are not to be used. Their charitable work, the letter stated, “is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity.”
