Prince Harry brought a burst of unexpected comedy to Los Angeles this week, joking that growing up in the Royal Family felt strikingly similar to living inside Julian Fellowes’ hit drama Downton Abbey—only far messier.
Speaking as a surprise guest at the British American Business Council’s annual lunch, the 41-year-old duke compared palace life to the fictional world of aristocratic intrigues and grand estates.
“People sometimes ask if growing up with the Royal Family was a bit like Downton Abbey,” Harry said. “Yeah—but only one of those worlds is full of drama, intrigue, elaborate dinners, and marriages to Americans… and the other is a TV show.”The room erupted with laughter, but the duke wasn’t done.
Harry’s appearance comes on the heels of another viral moment: a comedic cameo on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he poked fun not only at himself but at former President Donald Trump.
Harry’s Late-Night Comedy Tour Continues
During his Late Show segment, Harry wandered the studio pretending to be lost, claiming he was searching for auditions for a fictional Hallmark-style movie titled:
“Gingerbread Christmas Prince Saves Christmas in Nebraska.”
When Colbert questioned why a real royal would even need to audition, Harry shot back:
“You Americans are obsessed with Christmas movies—and you’re clearly obsessed with royalty—so why not?”
Colbert pushed back on the idea that Americans are obsessed with royalty. Harry countered, deadpan:
“Really? I hear you elected a king.”
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The audience gasped, recognizing the reference to Trump’s controversial remarks and the “No Kings” protests that followed.
Harry then joked about CBS’s recent legal battle involving the former president:
“I’ll do anything to get the part—even settle a baseless lawsuit with the White House. All the things people on TV do.”
When Colbert insisted he’d never done that, Harry delivered another punchline:
“Maybe that’s why you’re canceled.”
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The crowd roared, and Colbert officially crowned him the “Late Show Prince of Christmas.”
A Viral Bake-Off Moment — Reimagined
Earlier that day, Colbert and Harry teased the appearance with a spoof of a famous Great British Bake Off moment.
Sitting in the guest chair, Harry—mimicking presenter Alison Hammond—asked:
“If you were treated like a king for a day, what would you want me to do for you?”
Colbert, in the tone of GBBO contestant Mark Lutton, replied:
“Bake for me, probably?”
The playful reenactment referenced the now-iconic misunderstanding in which Hammond misheard “bake” as “beg.”
Meghan even shared the teaser clip on her Instagram Story ahead of the broadcast.
Harry’s Hollywood Return — and a Growing Comedy Edge
Wednesday marked Harry’s second appearance on The Late Show since 2023, when he sat down with Colbert to promote his memoir Spare. But this time, the tone was lighter, sharper, and far more irreverent.
Between jokes about palace life, American politics, and his own public controversies, Harry seemed far more relaxed than in recent years—willing to poke fun at himself and the world that made him famous.
And for at least one afternoon in Los Angeles, the Duke of Sussex proved he might have a future in comedy…
or at the very least, he knows exactly how to make headlines.