Back in 2020, shortly after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals, the British TV show Spitting Image mocked them.
The show features exaggerated puppets acting out absurd storylines, and in one scene, Harry is depicted with a box of crowns, asking Meghan if they can be recycled. Meghan instructs him to toss them on the Goodwill pile, a satirical take on their departure from royal duties.
American talk show host Jimmy Fallon has frequently used his platform to poke fun at the couple. Following Harry's interview promoting his memoir Spare, Fallon joked that it was a great chance to hear Harry and Meghan's story, humorously referencing their previous interviews and documentaries. Fallon's quip, "In case you missed their two-hour sitdown with Oprah or their six-part Netflix documentary," highlights the perceived repetitiveness of their public narrative.
Channel 4's The Windsors, a satirical series about the British royal family, also included Harry and Meghan in its storyline. In one scene, Harry tells Meghan that he offered a producer a knighthood in exchange for helping her find work. Meghan's character, upset by this, insists that she wants to succeed on her own merit, not because of her royal connections.
The trend of openly mocking Harry and Meghan gained momentum after several high-profile events. Initially, criticism of the couple was more subdued. However, following incidents like the New York City car chase and the South Park episode, public and media mockery became more prevalent. Bill Simmons's blunt criticism, where he labeled them "grifters," marked a turning point, allowing for more open and widespread satire.
This shift has led to Harry and Meghan becoming regular targets of humor and criticism, a stark contrast to the earlier caution exercised by commentators like Piers Morgan, who faced backlash for his skepticism about Meghan's claims during the Oprah interview. Overall, the contentious mockery across various media highlights the couple's struggles to maintain their public image. Despite their efforts to carve out new roles away from royal duties, Harry and Meghan's attempts are often met with ridicule, painting them as out-of-touch figures trying to navigate their post-royal life.
