They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. But is this true for mocking members of the Royal Family on television?

Prince Harry and Meghan are no strangers to criticism. 

As early as 2016, when the couple had just started dating, Channel 4 comedy The Windsors mocked the couple by depicting Harry as telling Meghan that he had offered a producer a knighthood in exchange for helping her find work.

The Duchess of Sussex’s character is upset by this, telling Harry that if she ‘is to make, I mean really make it, it needs to be because of who I am, not who I know’. 

She then storms off and says she’s going back to Los Angeles.

Animated TV show The Prince, with its cast including Sophie Turner and Orlando Bloom, mocked the couple’s job prospects in 2021.

Harry asks: ‘What are we going to do? Can you get another show? I mean, not one that you act on, darling. I know people don’t want to hire you for that anymore.’

Meghan replies: ‘HGTV did call my agent last week about us but, at the time, I thought we were too good for them.’

Prince Harry and Meghan are no stranger to criticism with various TV shows taking aim at them

Animated TV show The Prince, with its cast including Sophie Turner and Orlando Bloom, mocked the couple’s job prospects in 2021 

Following the release of Harry’s memoir Spare in 2023, the American show South Park – known for its satirical and surreal humor – made a jab at the Sussexes 

Following the release of Harry’s memoir Spare in 2023, the American show South Park – known for its satirical and surreal humor – made a jab at the Sussexes 

Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s episode follows the young royals, the Prince and Princess of Canada, flying around the world on a ‘Global Privacy Tour’ to promote his autobiography ‘Aaargh’. 

The show has used Canada as a stand-in for other countries before. 

In season 19, the new Canadian president – who carries more than a resemblance to Donald Trump – looks to build a huge border wall to keep the Americans out.

The Prince and Princess of Canada are seen at a large state funeral, where they are booed by the rest of the royal family – accused of bashing the Canadian monarchy.

Against the backlash, the couple appear on breakfast television to demand their privacy.

Arriving on the set of Good Morning Canada with a book to promote, the prince holds aloft a placard reading ‘we want privacy’, while the princess’s banner reads: ‘Stop looking at us.’

In an episode of South Park, Meghan and Harry are depicted as a red-headed prince and his wife from Canada who become frustrated with public attention after a family feud

Another cartoon with a cult following – Family Guy – took a dig at the Sussexes’ Netflix deal

The host asks whether, in reporting on the royal family for his new book, he has now become a journalist himself.

‘We just want to be normal people – all this attention is so hard,’ the prince replies.

Another cartoon with a cult following – Family Guy – took a dig at the Sussexes’ Netflix deal, which is reportedly worth $100million. 

Family Guy’s third episode in its 22nd season, which aired in October 2023, shows the main character Peter Griffin going on an adventure to become a TV extra.

‘I’ll go it alone, just like Meghan Markle and Prince Harry,’ he says.

The scene then cuts to animated versions of Harry and Meghan, lounging by a pool, when their butler comes with a check.

‘Sir, your millions from Netflix for… no one knows what,’ the butler says.

Harry replies: ‘Put it with the rest of them.’

The Duke of Sussex shocked the world with several headline-making revelations in his book

The Sussexes have produced three series for Netflix since they signed an £80million deal with the streaming platform in 2020

 And it’s not only cartoons using satire to mock the royal couple. 

At the 65th Grammy Awards in February 2023, host Trevor Noah made fun of Harry for his notorious line about his ‘frostbitten penis’ in Spare. 

The prince claimed he was suffering from the shocking condition during William and Kate’s wedding, after he undertook a 200-mile expedition to the North Pole in March 2011.

While welcoming James Corden to the stage, Noah said: ‘James Corden is a 12-time Emmy winner and the host of The Late Late Show.

‘He’s also living proof that a man can move from London to LA and not tell everyone about his frostbitten penis.’

For many celebrities, being mocked on Saturday Night Live is a right of passage.

Earlier this year the Sussexes were at the centre of a savage SNL quip as Colin Jost delivered a breakdown of the week’s major news stories.

The presenter addressed the UK-US trade deal between Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump, joking: ‘President Trump also announced a new trade deal with the UK that will re-open British markets for American companies.

‘All that Britain demands in return is that we keep these two,’ as a photo of Harry and Meghan appeared on the screen behind him.

Earlier this year the Sussexes were at the centre of a savage SNL quip as host Colin Jost delivered a breakdown of the week’s major news stories

Jost made a brutal joke about the couple, claiming the recent UK-US trade deal included a clause which meant they must stay in America

It was reported as another sign that America is turning its back on the Sussexes, who stepped down as working royals and left Britain for a new life in US in 2020. 

Harry once again threw the breakdown of his relationship with his family back into the limelight with an explosive interview after he lost his court battle over the levels of security he and his family are entitled to when in the UK.

Earlier this year he lost his attempt to overturn the Home Office’s decision at the Court of Appeal – a ruling he has since furiously described as a ‘good old-fashioned Establishment stitch-up’.

Harry’s bombshell interview with the BBC was met with a wave of criticism after he complained that his father, King Charles, ‘won’t speak to me’ and claimed he ‘doesn’t know how much longer he has left’.

Just days later, a YouGov poll revealed that Harry is the second most popular living member of the Royal Family among Americans – behind only his brother Prince William.

But William, Harry, Kate and King Charles were all more popular than Meghan – the only US citizen on the list.

Harry has spoken at length about the constant pressure of being in the spotlight and the strain this has on his relationship.

At the beginning of the year, a close friend of the prince told the Mail the barrage of criticism serves only to intensify his loyalty to Meghan.

Earlier this year he lost his attempt to overturn the Home Office’s decision regarding his family’s security entitlement – a ruling he furiously described as a ‘good old-fashioned Establishment stitch-up’

‘It’s horrible for him to know that people don’t like his wife,’ said Harry’s friend.

‘He adores her and doesn’t think she deserves any of the backlash or criticism that has been thrown at her over the past few years.’

Satire is seen as an important tool with which to poke fun at those in positions of power.

It is a simple fact that as long as the duke and duchess are in the public eye, they will be held to a high standard and mocked for any perceived shortfall of this.

There is a reason shows such as South Park and Family Guy have continued to produce episodes into their 20th seasons. 

Through the guise of comedy, they can be culturally relevant and laugh about issues viewers care about.