'I hear you elected a King': Prince Harry's dig at Trump on Stephen Colbert's talk show

The last time the Duke of Sussex appeared on Stephen Colbert's US chat show he was plugging his memoir, Spare.

This time, he was simply there for the laughs, sending up Donald Trump as America's "elected king" and the US "obsession" with royalty.

The 41-year-old's surprise cameo in a comedy sketch saw him play a version of himself auditioning for the role of a "Christmas prince" in a Hallmark Christmas film.

His appearance on stage came as Colbert delivered a monologue about the vast number of made-for-TV Christmas movies that give viewers an "unrealistic expectation" that they might just run into a prince at work "or walking down the street".

Right on cue, the Duke strolled around the studio, pretending he had got lost looking for auditions for the "Gingerbread Christmas Prince saves Christmas in Nebraska".

Colbert asked why an actual Prince would want to star in such a production, leading Harry to respond: "You Americans are obsessed with Christmas movies, and you're clearly obsessed with royalty, so why not."

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Challenged on the notion of an American "obsession," Harry quipped: "Really? I hear you elected a King" in an apparent nod to the "No Kings" demonstrations aimed at the Trump administration.

The reference prompted a chorus of pantomime "boos" from the audience.

The Duke then alluded to CBS's recent $16m settlement with Mr Trump over a lawsuit that claimed the network edited a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, his 2024 presidential rival, in an attempt to "tip the scales" in her favour.

He joked that he would "do anything" to land the role, stating: "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 responded: "Hey, I didn't do any of those things," to which Harry retorted: "Maybe that's why you're cancelled."

The chat show host is one of Donald Trump's most vocal critics and there is no love lost between the US president and the Sussexes.

So although the Duke is unlikely to have written his own lines in the sketch, he appeared happy to take a pop at Mr Trump, albeit without naming him.

The skit then evolved into a festive display, with trees materialising and sleigh bells chiming as the Duke encouraged Colbert to "just believe". The host later told Harry that he had secured the position of "official Late Show Prince of Christmas", much to the delight of the audience.

Bake Off 'take-off'

The duo had teased the guest appearance in a video released on Wednesday, which included a viral soundbite from The Great British Bake Off, which is hugely popular in America.

The announcement was also shared by the Duchess of Sussex, who previewed the clip on her Instagram story.

The Duke and Colbert lip-synced over an Alison Hammond clip in which she failed to understand the accent of a Northern Irish baker.

In the scene, Hammond asks Mark Lutton what he would want her to do if he were "king for the day". When he replied, "Bake for me, probably," she misheard the word "bake" as "beg" leading to a humorous exchange.

The Duke is understood to have developed a friendship with Colbert and following the success of his first appearance on the CBS show, in January 2023, which set a two-year viewership record, there was a mutual desire to work together again.

The satirical programme is filmed in New York and regularly tops the US late-night talk show ratings, attracting more than two million viewers.

But it was announced earlier this year that it would be cancelled for "financial reasons" and will end in May 2026 after a 33-year run.

As Prince Harry was passing through New York, it was considered a good opportunity to reappear and his team was "pleased" to be able to make it happen.

Colbert's other guests were Michael Shannon, an Academy Award nominee, and Jessie Buckley, the Irish actress and singer.

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Fact-checking The Crown

The Duke and Duchess have raised their children in Montecito, California, since they stepped back as working members of the Royal family in January 2020.

During his 2023 interview, the Duke said he watched and fact-checked the Netflix series The Crown.

At the end of the Duke's interview two years ago, Colbert asked if he had watched the series.

The Prince answered: "There's people laughing at that – yes, I have actually watched The Crown."

Colbert asked the Duke: "Do you fact-check it while you watch it?"

The Duke then pretended to take out a notepad and mimed taking notes before laughing: "Yes, I do actually."

© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2025

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