The latest episode of Saturday Night Live U.K. took a swipe at the controversy surrounding Prince Andrew’s association with Jeffrey Epstein, presenting it as part of a fictional long-term plan to improve the public image of King Charles III.
The cold open sketch is set in 1997 at the MI5 headquarters, shortly after the death of Princess Diana, and imagines British intelligence officials devising a strategy to make Charles more favourable in the eyes of the public.
Actor Jack Shep, who had portrayed Diana in the show’s premiere episode, appears as Prince Andrew in the segment.
“Since the death of Diana, the public have turned on Prince Charles. But still, one day he will be king,” a MI5 agent played by Celeste Dring says. “We need to make him look good. There’s no easy way to say this, Your Highness. We have deduced that the only way to increase the likability of our future king is to decrease the likability of everyone around him.”
“I see,” Shep as Andrew says. “Well, I love my brother, I love my country and I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”
Another agent, played by Hammed Animashaun, hands Andrew a file outlining a “29-year plan” to damage his reputation.
With a shocked reaction, Shep as Andrew replies: “And you actually want me to do all of this stuff? Even the part about befriending a notorious pedophile? Before and after he’s convicted? And there’s absolutely no other way to help my brother look good?”
The sketch also features Larry Dean as Peter Mandelson and Emma Sidi as Sarah Ferguson, depicted as part of the plan.
The segment concludes with Andrew agreeing to proceed with the plan. “Gentlemen, thank you, and say goodbye to the man you love,” Shep’s Andrew concludes. “I’ll see you in 2026, when I can finally hold my head up high and say… Live from London, it’s Saturday night,” he said.
The debut edition of Saturday Night Live UK took aim at former British royal Prince Andrew, with hosts of the Weekend Update segment delivering a string of jibes targeting his recent legal troubles.
Comedians Ania Magliano and Paddy Young, who helmed the segment, opened with: “Coming up on Weekend Update: pedophilia. But first, war!”, drawing laughter from the studio audience.
