Get you up to speed: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry mocked on SNL UK after moving back from US | News UK
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their two children have officially relocated back to the UK after spending six years in the United States. They have now settled in and their children have enrolled in new schools, while the Royal Household confirmed there has been no change to their royal status since they stepped down as working royals in 2020.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been in the UK for just over two weeks, focusing on settling their children into new schools. The Royal Household has issued a letter clarifying that their status has not changed since stepping down as working royals in January 2020, ensuring the couple retains their privacy and financial independence.
The Royal Household has issued a letter clarifying that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not undertake representative duties for the Sovereign, reaffirming their status as non-working members of the Royal Family. As the couple focuses on settling their children into new schools, a source has indicated that “everything else will fall into place when the time is right.”
What remains unclear — It is not clear how the royal family will further engage with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle following their return to the UK.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry featured in SNL UK sketch after UK move
If you haven’t heard by now, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have officially moved back to the UK with their two children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
The former senior royals have spent the last six years living across the pond in the US, after officially stepping down as senior members of the Royal Family in January 2020.
However, after firmly making their presence known in London again, the Sussexes have already found themselves at the butt of a (harmless) joke.
Yep, Saturday Night Live UK wasted no time in making a point of Harry and Meghan’s return — doing so with a pretty ruthless comedy sketch in the latest episode.
Comedians Jack Shep and Ayoade Bamgboye played Harry and Meghan, while fellow resident comics Larry Dean and Emma Sidi played King Charles and Queen Camilla, respectively.
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The sketch was set in the monarch’s Scottish Balmoral estate, and saw the ‘King’ and ‘Queen’ relaxing in a grand living room.
King Charles, leaning against an old fireplace, suddenly turns around after hearing a noise and says: ‘What in the devil is that racket?’
He then turns around to see Harry and Meghan walking into the room, hand in hand, wearing recognisable outfits from their tour of Australia earlier this year.
Shep’s Harry — who was donning a pale blue shirt and black trousers — earnestly replies, ‘I’m home’ while squeezing Bamgboye’s Meghan’s hand — who was also wearing a blue and white striped shirt and white jeans.
After decent laughs from the audience, Charles then says: ‘Harry, what are you doing here? This castle is for Royals only,’ before Camilla calls her husband a ‘grump’ and greets the Sussexes.
Later, Meghan calls Camilla ‘step-Queen,’ in reference to her being Harry’s stepmother, and offers her some ‘homemade’ ice — a clear tease at her lifestyle brand.
But the main event of the sketch? Charles asking his son and daughter-in-law what they ‘want,’ and accusing them of spending ‘all their Netflix money already.’
Fresh from their royal exit, it was reported that the couple had signed a deal with the streaming platform worth roughly $60 million, according to two Variety sources.
The pitch featured scripted shows, unscripted shows, children’s programming, feature films, and documentaries.
However, in those six years, they’ve only released a six-part docuseries about themselves (Harry & Meghan, 2022), Live to Lead, a documentary about the Invictus Games, a five-part series about polo, and the lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan.
After Charles Netflix dig, Harry says: ‘Daddy, it was $60million. How long was it meant to last? I’m not asking for much, just a duchy or two.’
The prince adds: ‘Daddy, just because I don’t want to be a Royal, it doesn’t mean I want to be a regular guy.’
This moment was then interrupted by new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, played by comedian George Fouracres, who has earned himself an ‘ordinary bloke’ reputation since stepping into office in July.
He tells the Sussexes: ‘Harry, Meghan, I’m here to tell you just because you’re normal folk, doesn’t mean your life has to be c***. That is the Burnham promise.’
Jokes aside, Harry and Meghan’s return to the UK has happened very quickly.
They announced the move back in August, and have now been back for just over two weeks.
In that time, Archie and Lilibet have enrolled at new schools, swapping the US education system they’re used to for the UK one.
A source close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has said that settling their children ‘has been, and remains, their focus.’
‘Everything else will fall into place when the time is right,’ the source told People.
‘There is a lot to do. They have just moved halfway across the world and it’s been really busy getting the kids settled.
‘Their focus has been on that, and will remain on that, for the time being. They are happy to be back.’
In classic British weather, she is seen walking hand-in-hand with Prince Harry in the rain and stepping in a puddle wearing wellies.
The footage also shows the couple’s kids sitting in front of a roaring fire, Lilibet riding a bike, and the family fishing on a lake, to name a few.
However, since moving back, the couple were reportedly also left ‘surprised’ by the Royal Household’s letter clarifying their royal status.
The letter also reiterated that there had been no change to their existing position since they stepped down as working royals in 2020.
It read: ‘Following the decision by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to relocate to the UK, we have received several requests for guidance. To help avoid doubt or confusion, The King has directed that the following information be shared.
‘It is well known that in January 2020 the Duke and Duchess stepped down from undertaking representative duties on behalf of The Sovereign, and are no longer working Members of The Royal Family.
‘This position, distinct from the State and Royal duties undertaken by the working Royal Family, and with the personal latitude it brings the couple in respect of financial independence and protection of their privacy as they would wish, will continue to be fully respected.’