Prince Harry sparked a mixed reaction during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he mocked US President Donald Trump as America’s “elected king” and criticized CBS for settling what he called a “baseless” lawsuit with Trump. Harry was implying that Trump acted more like a monarch than a typical elected leader—and he said it as a joke at Trump’s expense, reported Daily Mail.
The Duke of Sussex, 41, was met with a wave of boos from Colbert’s New York studio audience after quipping that Americans must be so fascinated with monarchy that they “elected a king” in Trump. Harry delivered the jab during a Christmas comedy sketch—an intentionally light-hearted Hallmark-style spoof—rather than a formal interview.
But the prince quickly shifted from scripted jokes to pointed commentary when the topic of CBS’s recent legal settlement arose. Harry jokingly referenced the network’s $36 million payout to Trump over a deceptively edited interview involving Vice President Kamala Harris, calling the president’s complaint “baseless.”
Colbert immediately distanced himself from the matter, responding sharply: “I didn’t do that.”
The settlement, announced earlier this month, ended Trump’s lawsuit alleging CBS manipulated footage to make him appear confused in the Harris sit-down. While Colbert attempted to steer the segment back to comedy, Harry’s remark briefly turned the festive sketch into an unscripted political jab—one that clearly divided the audience.
The appearance marks one of Harry’s more overtly political moments on U.S. television, highlighting once again the prince’s complicated relationship with both the American media landscape and audiences who remain split on his public commentary.
