Prince Harry Cracks a Joke About Trump in Unexpected 'Late Show' Appearance with Stephen Colbert

The Prince's surprise TV jab sparked laughs and backlash after a president's viral crown moment and blunt words about the Duke of Sussex's place in America.

Prince Harry made headlines with a surprise walk-on during "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," where he cracked a well-timed joke about US President Donald Trump.

While the moment played for laughs, it followed a viral social media post by the White House — and an interview where Trump expressed his thoughts about the Prince's U.S. Visa status. Together, these moments gave Harry's one-liner unexpected weight and sparked strong reactions online.

A Royal Walk-On With a Political Punchline

On Wednesday night, December 3, 2025, the Duke of Sussex appeared unannounced on stage, interrupting Stephen Colbert's monologue about royal-themed holiday movies.

"Excuse me, Stephen?" Harry said, walking on to cheers as Colbert acted surprised. "Sorry. I thought this was the audition for 'The Gingerbread Prince Saves Christmas in Nebraska.'"

Colbert played along, joking about the idea of a real prince in a Christmas film. "Well, you Americans are obsessed with Christmas movies, and you're obsessed with royalty, so why not?" Harry replied.

When Colbert disagreed, Harry delivered the punchline: "Really? I heard you elected a king." The audience responded with a mix of laughter and groans. Colbert replied, "That's a fair point."

Online Reactions Reveal a Public Divide

The moment quickly stirred strong opinions online — and the reactions were sharply divided. On Instagram, many users reacted negatively to Harry's appearance. One commenter wrote, "What a fall from grace." Another said, "What a disappointment. Not prince like behaviour [sic]." A different person typed, "He has no shame."

"So irrelevant and angry about it. Give up and go home," one critic stated. Another chimed in, "That was painful to watch and I don't like Trump."

One person remarked, "How far can Harry fall? This is so fake and contrived, it is embarrassing. Harry has a natural presenting manner and this is not it. Should turned [sic] this gig down! Sad, just sad." Someone else said, "How low can you go," while another added, "Omg what has happened to him."

Meanwhile, feedback on Facebook was far more positive. One commenter called the moment "so funny" and "one of the best." Another said, "Well done Harry, love this and the innuendos. Bet Trump laughs too." A separate supporter noted, "This was a great moment. I was laughing so hard."

A Crowned Trump Goes Viral on Instagram

Harry's joke appeared to reference a viral Instagram post published back on February 19 by the official White House account. The digitally created image showed Donald wearing a golden crown, standing confidently in front of the Manhattan skyline. The caption read:

"CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!" –President Donald J. Trump."

Donald Trump Weighs In on Prince Harry's U.S. Status

Just days before that Instagram post, Donald addressed growing calls to review Harry's U.S. visa status. The Heritage Foundation has raised concerns about whether Harry disclosed past drug use on his application.

Donald dismissed the idea of deporting him. "I don't want to do that," he said to the New York Post published on February 8. "I'll leave him alone. He's got enough problems with his wife. She's terrible," he added, referring to the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.

He also praised Harry's brother, Prince William, referencing a previous private meeting in Paris during the Notre-Dame Cathedral reopening, describing the Prince of Wales as a "great young man."

In previous remarks, he reportedly called Harry "whipped" and added, "I think poor Harry is being led around by the nose." The Sussexes have also spoken out against Trump. Meghan once labeled him "divisive" and "misogynistic."

Donald's reaction echoed another uproar involving the Sussexes — this time over a Thanksgiving charity event with their children.

As reported on November 27, Harry and Meghan brought both of their children — Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four — to a Thanksgiving charity event in Los Angeles, turning what should have been a low-key act of service into prime internet fodder.

Young Royals Join the Kitchen Line

On November 26, the Sussexes participated in a community outreach at Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles (OBKLA), a nonprofit where volunteers prepare meals for those facing food insecurity.

The event, organized through the Archewell Foundation, was meant to highlight their ongoing commitment to service — this time as a family unit.

Photos released from the event showed Archie and Lilibet helping alongside their parents. "Harry and Meghan have been giving back since they were children and now they are teaching their kids to give back ❤️❤️❤️," one supporter cheered on Instagram.

Meghan's Hair and Cartier Bracelet Spark a Firestorm

While many praised the initiative, the family's participation sparked a wave of reactions on social media, particularly focusing on visual details from the photos. Meghan, seen helping prepare food, wore her hair down during the activity.

This prompted several hygiene-related critiques, with one posting, "No hair net, very unsanitary!" and another adding, "It's the long hair not pulled back for me. 🤢🤢Also, don't forget your Cartier bracelet whilst serving people in need."

Another remarked, "Meghan's hair should be tied back when preparing food for others but good on them for doing it." One questioned, "Why is her hair not up?" while another observed, "The hat and hair is weird. She's the only one in a different hat and her hair not tied back."

What began as a good deed had quickly turned into a hygiene debate — with royal watchers offering unsolicited advice in every direction.

'There Is No Way That Is a 4-Year-Old': Lilibet's Height Stuns Observers

Then came the next wave: scrutiny of young Lilibet's appearance, with many questioning her height, size, and hair — even comparing her to Archie.

"Lilly is a pretty big girl for being 4 yrs old. Archie looks smaller than her," one person wrote. Another posed, "That redhead girl is Lilibet? A four year old girl? Wow based on the 3rd slide she's as tall as girls twice her age."

The scrutiny didn't stop there. One Redditor expressed, "There is no way that is a 4 year old," while another added, "Weird how the kid goes from ginger to blonde."

A different person commented, "My daughter at 4 years old did not have long hair like that that is strange !!!" Another added, "Lily is pretty big for 4 yrs. taller than her brother."

Accusations of Photo Fakery Enter the Chat

Things took a turn as viewers began dissecting the photos themselves, with some suggesting that the images were digitally manipulated.

"Is this kid photoshopped in?" one person questioned. "The braids look completely different and the weird angle of the plaid dress as the kid leans on the counter - like its way off - unless that kid has an unusually long torso (like guiness record long) and there is some weird lighting around the child too and the hand-clasping with Meghan looks way off and the head appears to be on backwards too."

The family outing had spiraled from a charitable cause into an online conspiracy buffet, with theories gaining traction by the hour. And it wasn't the first time this year that Archie and Lilibet have been thrust into the spotlight.

A Labor Day playlist, children in matching headphones, and a clapperboard cameo — Meghan's latest Instagram post offered an unusually candid look at family life behind the scenes of her Netflix series.

In a surprise move that left royal watchers reeling, she stunned the public over Labor Day weekend with a jaw-dropping Instagram post that offered a candid, never-before-seen glimpse of her fiercely protected family life.

The Duchess of Sussex, long known for keeping her children out of the spotlight, shared a series of candid photographs from the filming of Season 2 of her Netflix lifestyle series, "With Love, Meghan."

Among the production shots and set scenery were three images featuring Archie and Lilibet, images that represent one of the most open glimpses yet into the Sussexes' family dynamic.

In one image, the young siblings are captured from behind, perched in front of a production monitor, each wearing black headphones as they observe the action on set. Their vibrant red hair, a trait inherited from Harry, glows in the daylight, their small figures intent and absorbed in the scene before them.

A Labor Day Surprise: Archie and Lilibet Steal the Scene

Another photo shows little Lilibet seated solo in a director's chair, her tiny frame swallowed by the black leather seat, her pale pink jumper and navy polka-dot pants a picture of innocent charm, as she looks away from the camera, her face obscured.

A third image features Archie, mid-action, gripping a clapperboard used to mark scenes during filming. His face is deliberately hidden behind a playful heart emoji. The board is marked with a shooting date of November 1, 2024.

The caption accompanying the carousel post read, "Filming season two of 'With Love, Meghan' was more fun than you can imagine. Part of how we kept the vibe alive? Music. Between set ups [sic] I would play a song from my phone, and today I wanted to share some of the favorites I kept on rotation! Add them to your playlist, press shuffle, and enjoy! Happy Labor Day weekend! Work hard, play hard 🎶."

The "Perfectly Curated" Chaos Behind the Scenes

Season 2 of "With Love, Meghan" picks up where the first left off. The first season delved into Meghan's love for cooking, gardening, and home entertaining — but one thing the cameras didn't capture? The interior of the couple's lavish Montecito mansion.

Instead, production was carefully confined to the orchard, chicken coop, and other scenic outdoor spaces near their home. It was a calculated move that gave Meghan control without full exposure.

Discussing the first season in a March 2025 interview, Meghan confessed, "Archie did the [filming clapboard]! Sweet moments. They would also come with my husband and visit me on-set, and I loved that my children were able to watch me working and see the balance of that and understand what Mama does and is working to create and share. It was really special because up until then, they hadn't seen me at work."

The images marked a notable shift from the Sussexes' usual media strategy, offering a rare peek into their closely guarded family life. They arrive months after a very different kind of social media moment — one that drew no shortage of criticism and fueled fresh speculation about the Duchess's public image.