If you are the type of person who enjoys being lectured to by British royalty about the former colonies currently having a king in President Trump, then Wednesday’s episode of CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was for you. For everyone else, Prince Harry’s bit with Colbert was a sad reminder that the late night comedy shows can suck the laughter out of everything, including Christmas.

Colbert was discussing the trend of cheesy Christmas movies that involve an American character falling in love with a prince or princess, “Now, folks, as much as I love these holiday movies, and I do, I think they’re problematic because they give people the unrealistic expectation that during the holiday season, they’re going to just bump into some prince at their job or walking down the street.”

At that point, Harry walked on stage, and after an unusually long applause from the audience, Colbert introduced him and wondered, “Folks! It’s Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales-Sussex! What are you doing here?”

Harry joked, “Sorry. I genuinely thought this was the audition for The Gingerbread Prince Saves Christmas in Nebraska.”

Colbert then wondered, “What? No! I mean, that sounds like a fantastic move, but you’re an actual prince. Why would you want to be in one of these movies?”

An eager Harry insisted that, “you Americans are obsessed with Christmas movies, and you’re clearly obsessed with royalty, so why not?”

Playing the part, Colbert pushed back, “I—hold on, hold on. Look, look. I wouldn’t say we’re obsessed with royalty.”

Harry then turned the skit political, “Really? I heard you elected a king.” Amid audience booing, Colbert agreed, “That’s a fair point. No—he’s got a point.”

Lamenting the supposed historical reversal, Harry continued, “And after making such a big deal about my great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, George III.”

Of course, unlike in George III’s time, Americans currently do have representation. Colbert and his audience just don’t like the results of those elections.

Here is a transcript for the December 3 show:

CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

12/3/2025

11:54 PM ET

STEPHEN COLBERT: Now, folks, as much as I love these holiday movies, and I do, I think they’re problematic because they give people the unrealistic expectation that during the holiday season, they’re going to just bump into some prince at their job or walking down the street.

PRINCE HARRY: Excuse me. Sorry, Stephen?

COLBERT: Folks! It’s Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales-Sussex! What are you doing here?

PRINCE HARRY: Sorry. I genuinely thought this was the audition for The Gingerbread Prince Saves Christmas in Nebraska.

COLBERT: What? No! I mean, that sounds like a fantastic move, but you’re an actual prince. Why would you want to be in one of these movies?

PRINCE HARRY: Well, you Americans are obsessed with Christmas movies, and you’re clearly obsessed with royalty, so why not?

COLBERT: I—hold on, hold on. Look, look. I wouldn’t say we’re obsessed with royalty.

PRINCE HARRY: Really?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: We are!

PRINCE HARRY: I heard you elected a king.

COLBERT: That’s a fair point. No—he’s got a point.

PRINCE HARRY: And after making such a big deal about my great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, George III.

COLBERT: Well, he was kind of a jerk.