From The Simpsons to Family Guy: all the cartoons which spoofed Harry and Meghan - and how they made a cultural impact

Given how sensitive the Sussexes are, I wonder how they reacted to being cartoon characters on these well known shows.

The Simpsons, created by Matt Groening, is not only the longest-running American animated series, it’s also the longest-running American sitcom. It features well-known people, and has been quite prescient in its depiction of modern cultural icons. Still, in its 36-year run, it has only a few throw away gags about Harry.

The Prince, a series by Gary Janetti, was poorly received because it used a mean characterisation of Prince George. It also had incredibly bad timing, as it depicted Prince Philip as corpse-like, just a few months after his death. (In one beach scene, they seemed to pay tribute to this, by showing Prince Philip bathed in light while the rest were cast in a shadow.)

It also seemed to be sympathetic to Harry and Meghan. Harry (voiced by Orlando Bloom) is dull but well-meaning, while Meghan (voiced by Condola Rashad) is down-to-earth. Catherine (voiced by Lucy Punch) is somewhat mean. I suppose this is what is meant by satire!

The show does poke fun at Meghan’s acting career on Suits. I also laughed at her attempt to launch a line of condiments, which is very much like what she did with the jams in 2024.

However, The Prince performed so poorly when it was screened, it’s likely that very few watched it to appreciate the small jabs at Harry and Meghan.

The masterpiece of all cartoon Sussex satire is still the South Park episode, The Worldwide Privacy Tour. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park has developed a reputation for its irreverent approach, and is unafraid to criticise things that are often deemed off-limits, such as religion.

From beginning to end, the episode lampooned Harry and Meghan, showing them as hypocritical, out-of-touch ex-royals. Not only is the humour on-point, the episode also used details that could only be known to keen royal watchers, such as Meghan’s magazine covers, Harry’s frozen todger, and the two’s frantic attempts to brand themselves.

Even the phrase “worldwide privacy tour” has been oft-quoted to describe the Sussexes.

Harry and Meghan were supposedly extremely upset at the show but was unable to complain, as it would only expose them as the thin-skinned hypocrites they are.

Not to be left behind, Seth MacFarlane’s Family Guy portrayed the banished royals as a money-grubbing couple lazing on the beach.

Some may think cartoons are childish, but they also provide social commentary, and in this case, may have contributed to Harry and Meghan’s declining popularity.

If so, it would take more than a cooking show to reverse their image as a laughingstock.

Instead, Meghan’s new series might only provide fodder for more lampoons in the future.