Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have increasingly found themselves at the centre of comedic scrutiny, particularly in 2023, as various television shows leveraged satire to comment on their public lives. The couple has faced mockery since they first gained media attention, with the Channel 4 comedy The Windsors depicting Harry offering a producer a knighthood for helping Meghan advance her career. This trope, which portrayed Meghan asserting her desire for success based on her own merits, continues to echo through newer comedic portrayals.

In the animated show The Prince, which features voices like Sophie Turner and Orlando Bloom, the couple's job prospects were lampooned in 2021. Here, Harry’s anxieties about their career path are comically illustrated, with Meghan jokingly noting a call from HGTV that they deemed beneath them. This blend of humour and pointed critique manifests further in South Park, which aired an episode titled "The Worldwide Privacy Tour." Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone caricatured the Sussexes as they navigated the paradox of demanding privacy while actively promoting Harry's memoir, Spare. The episode depicts their desperate attempts for public attention, presenting a stark contrast to their stated wishes for a normal life away from the royal glare.

According to reports, both Family Guy and late-night shows like Saturday Night Live have also mocked the Sussexes. In a recent Family Guy episode, Peter Griffin quipped about Harry and Meghan’s lucrative Netflix deal, which was reportedly worth $100 million. This satire reflects a broader conversation around the duo's post-royal life and its perceived disconnect from reality, reinforcing the notion that media outlets will seize upon celebrity figures for comedic fodder. Similarly, SNL host Colin Jost made a pun about the potential UK-US trade deal including terms to keep Harry and Meghan in America—a playful jab at the couple's decline in popularity within the UK.

The couple's attempts to navigate their public image have not gone unnoticed in broader societal discussions. Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Harry has frequently voiced the strain of being in the public eye, and the backlash directed at Meghan has only intensified that pressure. Following the release of his memoir, Harry faced renewed criticism, not just for its contents but for his ongoing candidness regarding his family dynamics. A poll suggests that while Harry is among the most popular members of the royal family in the US, Meghan lags behind, underscoring their polarising public personas.

In the midst of this turmoil, some sources close to Harry have noted that the barrage of negative portrayals has fostered a deeper loyalty towards Meghan. It is reported that Harry does not think she deserves the backlash generated by their high-profile lifestyle choices. This sentiment highlights the complexities of their situation: they are both beloved and reviled, drawing the attention of satirists keen to dissect the intertwining of privilege and vulnerability that defines their lives.

Ultimately, satire serves as a vital mechanism for critiquing figures of power and influence. Shows like South Park and Family Guy have maintained longevity through their ability to encapsulate the absurdities of contemporary culture, continually reflecting the complexities of public figures, including the intriguing—yet often contradictory—narratives of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

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Source: Noah Wire Services