Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are the latest real-life figures to be humorously targeted by Family Guy.
In the latest episode of Seth MacFarlane’s long-running adult animation, which aired on Sunday night (22 October), the Duke and Duchess of Sussex found themselves the subject of a biting parody. Family Guy, which first debuted in 1999, follows the misadventures of Peter Griffin (voiced by MacFarlane) and his quirky family in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island.
The episode aired over the weekend featured Peter Griffin comparing his struggles to those of Harry and Meghan, who famously stepped down as senior members of the Royal Family in 2020 and relocated to the United States. Down on his luck and broke, Peter jokes about going it alone like the Sussexes, launching into a satirical sequence poking fun at their high-profile lifestyle.
The show’s writers didn’t shy away from criticizing the couple’s multi-million dollar Netflix deal, which has often drawn attention and skepticism. In the parody, a cartoon version of Harry and Meghan is depicted lounging by a pool, with a butler telling Harry: “Sir, your millions from Netflix for… no one knows what.”
Harry’s response is equally biting: “Put it with the rest of them,” followed by Meghan instructing him, “Babe, time to do our daily $250,000 sponsored Instagram post for Del Taco.” Harry, looking disillusioned, replies: “I shouldn’t have left the made-up nonsense,” in a likely jab at his royal roots.
In 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a lucrative deal with Netflix, reportedly worth up to $100 million (£82 million), though the exact figure remains unconfirmed by either party. The deal, which was finalized after the couple’s royal departure, has seen several projects emerge from their Archewell Productions company. This includes the six-part docuseries Meghan & Harry, which debuted last year, as well as Live to Lead, which profiles influential figures such as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the 2023 docuseries Heart of Invictus, focusing on competitors at the Invictus Games, founded by Prince Harry.
This latest Family Guy parody of Harry and Meghan follows closely on the heels of a similar satire aired by South Park in February. In that episode, a red-headed prince and his wife, donning a look identical to Meghan’s 2018 outfit, take center stage in a parody about the couple’s supposed craving for privacy. The South Park episode, titled The Worldwide Privacy Tour, mocked the couple’s public demands for a private life, with Meghan reportedly left “upset and overwhelmed” by the portrayal.
For now, Family Guy continues to be available for streaming in the UK on Disney+.
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