Family Guy skewers Harry and Meghan in brutal parody

Family Guy skewers Harry and Meghan in brutal parody

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are the latest real-life figures to be lampooned in Family Guy.

Seth McFarlane’s long-running comedy series aired its latest instalment on Sunday night (22 October) with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex featuring in a humorous aside.

Beginning in 1999, the adult animation follows family man Peter Griffin (MacFarlane) and his dysfunctional family living in the fictional city of Quahog in Rhode Island.

In the episode that aired over the weekend, Peter compares himself to the royal couple who stepped down as working members of the Royal Family in 2020 and moved to the US.

Down on his luck and with no money, Peter suggests that he’ll “got at it alone” just like the Sussexes.

The show’s writers did not hold back when depicting the couple and poked fun at their multi-million dollar deal with Netflix.

In it, a cartoon version of Harry and Meghan are seen lounging by a pool with a butler nearby, who informs Harry: “Sir, your millions from Netflix for… no one knows what.”

The Duke then replies: “Put it with the rest of them,” following which Meghan instructs Harry: “Babe, time to do our daily $250,000 sponsored Instagram post for Del Taco.”

 (Fox)
(Fox)

Appearing despondent, Harry responds: “I shouldn’t have left the made-up nonsense,” in an apparent jibe at the royal family.

In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a multi-year deal with the streaming platform reportedly worth up to $100m (£82m) – although this figure has not been confirmed by representatives for either Harry, Megan or Netflix who did not respond to The Independent’s requests for comment at the time.

Divisive figures: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been known to split opinions among friends (Getty Images)
Divisive figures: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been known to split opinions among friends (Getty Images)

The deal – in collaboration with the royal couple’s production company Archewell Production – was inked shortly after the couple stepped down as working members of the royal family.

Last year’s six-part docuseries Meghan & Harry was the first project to emerge from the partnership, followed by Live to Lead, a series they narrated that chronicled the lives of figures such as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader-Ginsburg.

Earlier this year, a third project, Heart of Invictus, arrived on Netflix. The docuseries follows six people competing at the 2022 Invictus Games, a global sporting event founded by Prince Harry that helps wounded service members heal through sports.

‘South Park’ (Paramount Plus)
‘South Park’ (Paramount Plus)

This latest Family Guy satire of Harry and Meghan comes months after another adult animation series, South Park, roasted the couple in February.

While the show’s writers did not specifically use their names, the male animated character is a red-headed prince and his wife wears the same outfit Meghan once wore in 2018.

The episode – titled “The Worldwide Privacy Tour” – ridiculed the couple’s purported desire for privacy.

Following the broadcast, Meghan was said to have been left “upset and overwhelmed” by its content.

Family Guy is available to watch in the UK on Disney Plus.