Prince Harry interrupted Stephen Colbert’s late-night monologue, thinking it was an audition to star in a Hallmark holiday movie.
That was a joke, of course, but Harry, 41, was game to be on it.
During his Late Show monologue on Wednesday, December 3, Colbert, 61, complained to his studio audience about all the TV movies with royal plotlines, like Crown Prince of Christmas, The Royal We and A Royal Icing Christmas.
“Now, as a Catholic, I was always taught that the crown prince of Christmas was Jesus Christ,” Colbert quipped. “But apparently now, it’s TV movie actor Jilon VanOver. Sorry, Jesus. Shoulda booked that walk-on role in NCIS: Los Angeles. 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.”
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At that moment, Harry stepped onstage. The crowd stood up and clapped en masse.
“It’s Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales-Sussex! What are you doing here?” Colbert asked him.
“Sorry, I genuinely thought this was the audition for The Gingerbread Prince Saves Christmas in Nebraska,” said Harry, fully committing to the bit.
Colbert said that “sounds fantastic, but you’re an actual prince. Why would you want to be in one of these movies?”
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In response, Harry remarked, “Well, you Americans are obsessed with Christmas movies and you’re obsessed with royalty, so why not?”
Colbert denied that Americans have an obsession.
“Really? I heard you ‘elected’ a king,” Harry said, to which the host replied, “That’s a fair point.”
With faux desperation, Harry continued, “Listen, what’s a real prince got to do to get into a Hallmark movie? … I got skills. I can ride a horse. I can fly a helicopter. I can ride a horse and a helicopter.”
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Colbert reminded Harry that success in Hollywood has a lot to do with personal connections and asked him if he knew “any famous TV actresses” — Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, wink wink — who could help him out.
“I mean, I might know one,” Harry said, adding, “But listen, Stephen, I’ll do anything.”
Colbert suggested that he “practice helping Americans reconnect with what they love about Christmas.”
Soon, Christmas trees and a snowman appeared on the stage behind the pair, raising Harry’s spirits. Snow began to fall.
“Do you see what’s happening? Can you hear the sleigh bells?” Harry mused, to which Colbert cynically retorted, “Yeah, it’s probably one of those Central Park horses having a seizure.”
Harry said, “Stephen, you just have to believe! Doesn’t this prove that anything can happen? I mean, minutes ago, you said it was impossible. But look, isn’t there a handsome prince standing in front of you, right now?”
Apologizing, Colbert told Harry, “I know you want this, but I’m afraid I have to say … I was testing you: You’ve got the role.”
The Duke of Sussex is making the rounds on TV. Earlier Wednesday, he was seen crashing Meghan’s With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration, which premiered via Netflix that day. In the special, he was treated to an early Christmas Eve dinner: Gumbo, which Meghan made extra-spicy.
“I can feel it puncturing through the top of my head right now,” he said while tasting the dish. “It is delicious. I’m not so sure it’s as good as your mom’s but it’s certainly close.”
