Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has reportedly been left reeling after being mercilessly mocked in animated series, most notably in a 2023 episode of South Park. The episode, which aired on February 15, 2023, titled The Worldwide Privacy Tour, took sharp aim at Meghan and Prince Harry, portraying them as hypocritical royals who demand privacy while courting publicity. Sources at the time claimed Meghan was “upset and overwhelmed” by the depiction, a sentiment that has resurfaced in discussions about her public image as of May 2025. This article explores the South Park controversy, other instances of animated mockery, Meghan’s reaction, and the broader implications for her and Harry’s post-royal journey.
The South Park Episode: A Brutal Satire
The South Park episode that sparked the uproar featured characters dubbed the “Prince and Princess of Canada,” who were unmistakable stand-ins for Harry and Meghan. The red-haired prince and his wife, dressed in a dusty pink outfit mirroring Meghan’s 2018 Trooping the Colour appearance, embarked on a “worldwide privacy tour” to promote the prince’s memoir, Waaagh—a clear jab at Harry’s 2023 memoir Spare. The episode ridiculed the couple’s contradictory behavior, showing them holding signs that read “Stop looking at us!” and “We want privacy!” while appearing on talk shows and plastering their faces on billboards. Meghan’s character was labeled a “sorority girl, actress, influencer, victim,” a cutting description that many saw as a distillation of public criticisms of her persona.
The satire didn’t stop there. South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone included pointed references to the couple’s real-life actions, such as their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan (2022) and Harry’s revelations in Spare about his frostbitten penis during a 2011 North Pole expedition. The episode also mocked Meghan’s magazine covers, recreating her Vanity Fair and The Cut features with a controversial twist—a spoof GQ cover that replaced the real-life headline “Meghan’s annus mirabilis” (Meghan’s wonderful year) with “Princess Anus,” a jab that some felt went too far.
According to a February 2023 report in The Spectator, Meghan was deeply affected by the portrayal, feeling “upset and overwhelmed” for days and refusing to watch the entire episode. Posts on X at the time reflected a mix of sentiments—some users, like @storiesbyjemay, suggested Meghan’s bruised ego stemmed from the satire falling outside her usual narrative of blaming the royal family or British media, while others, like @CitizenFreePres, quipped that the episode forced her to confront her “true self.”
Not the First Animated Jab
The South Park episode wasn’t the first time Meghan and Harry faced animated ridicule. In 2021, The Prince, a satirical series about the British royal family, poked fun at their move to California, portraying them as out-of-touch royals. The show, produced by Gary Janetti with Orlando Bloom voicing Harry, added to the couple’s growing list of media parodies. Later, in October 2023, Family Guy took a swing, depicting Harry and Meghan as freeloaders who “get paid millions by Netflix for doing nothing,” a jab at their $100 million Netflix deal, which has produced projects like Harry & Meghan and Meghan’s recent lifestyle series With Love, Meghan.
These portrayals highlight a recurring theme in the couple’s post-royal life: their struggle to reconcile their desire for privacy with their high-profile media ventures. Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan have been vocal about their issues with the royal family and the British press, most notably in their 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, where they revealed a royal family member’s “concerns” about their son Archie’s skin color. However, their subsequent projects—interviews, a docuseries, a memoir, and podcasts—have kept them in the spotlight, fueling perceptions of hypocrisy that animated series have eagerly exploited.
Meghan’s Reaction: Hurt and Legal Speculation
Meghan’s reported reaction to the South Park episode was one of deep distress. Sources close to the couple told The Spectator in 2023 that she spent days feeling “upset and overwhelmed,” a sentiment echoed by multiple outlets, including The Mirror and Fox News. Her refusal to watch the full episode suggests an attempt to shield herself from further hurt, a response that aligns with her history of avoiding direct engagement with personal attacks. While Harry and Meghan have publicly addressed systemic issues, such as racism within the royal family, they often sidestep individual criticisms, a strategy that has both protected and frustrated them in the public eye.
The episode also sparked speculation about legal action. Royal commentator Neil Sean told Fox News in February 2023 that the Sussexes’ legal team was “casting an eye” over the episode, hinting at potential “legal ramifications.” This wasn’t an unfounded concern—Harry and Meghan have a history of litigation, having successfully sued British tabloids like the Mail on Sunday in 2021 over privacy violations. However, the couple quickly shut down these rumors. A spokesperson told Newsweek on February 22, 2023, that claims of a lawsuit were “baseless and boring,” a statement that dismissed the speculation but left Meghan’s emotional response unaddressed.
The South Park creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, remained unfazed. In a February 2023 interview on the Basic! podcast, they downplayed the controversy, noting their long history of satirizing celebrities like Tom Cruise, Kanye West, and Donald Trump. They emphasized that South Park has faced countless legal threats over its 26-year run but has been protected by the U.S. First Amendment, which guarantees free speech. Their nonchalant attitude underscored the show’s fearless approach to satire, but it did little to ease the sting for Meghan.
A Broader Pattern of Scrutiny
The South Park episode is part of a larger pattern of scrutiny that has followed Meghan and Harry since their 2020 departure from the royal family. Their decision to step back, confirmed by Buckingham Palace in February 2021, was met with shock and criticism, with Harry giving up his honorary military titles and the couple settling in Montecito, California. Their subsequent media ventures—most notably the Netflix docuseries, Harry’s memoir, and Meghan’s podcast Archetypes—have kept them in the public eye, often drawing accusations of exploiting their royal status for profit.
This perception has been a goldmine for satirists. The South Park episode crystallized public frustrations with the couple’s contradictory behavior, a sentiment echoed in other animated parodies like Family Guy. Even Meghan’s estranged half-sister, Samantha Markle, weighed in, telling Fox News in February 2023 that the South Park portrayal was “hysterical” and “brilliant,” accusing Meghan of hypocrisy for demanding privacy while seeking publicity. Samantha, who has been embroiled in a defamation lawsuit against Meghan since 2023, used the episode to further criticize her sister, highlighting the personal and public battles Meghan faces.
Cultural Context: Satire Meets Sensitivity
The South Park controversy raises broader questions about the role of satire in today’s media landscape. On one hand, South Park has a well-established reputation for targeting public figures, often with little consequence. The show’s creators have built a $1 billion empire, according to a 2023 Forbes report, by fearlessly tackling controversial subjects. On the other hand, Meghan’s unique position as a biracial woman who married into the British royal family complicates the narrative. Her experiences with racism and misogyny—evident in the royal family’s concerns about Archie’s skin color and the British press’s relentless scrutiny—add a layer of sensitivity to the satire.
Meghan isn’t the first celebrity to be upset by South Park. Ed Sheeran, in a 2023 Slam Radio interview, claimed a 2005 episode about “ginger kids” “ruined” his life in England, while Sarah Jessica Parker and Tom Cruise have also been targeted, according to National World. Yet Meghan’s case feels different. The intersection of her race, gender, and royal status makes her a lightning rod for criticism, often amplifying the impact of such portrayals. The South Park episode, while satirical, touched on real pain points—her struggle for privacy, her fractured family ties, and the public’s perception of her motives—making the mockery feel more personal than humorous to her.
Meghan’s Journey in 2025: Moving Forward
As of May 2025, Meghan and Harry have largely moved past the South Park incident, focusing on new projects. Meghan’s lifestyle series With Love, Meghan, which premiered on Netflix in March 2025, aims to redefine the genre with episodes on cooking, gardening, and hosting. However, the show has faced its own criticism, with The Guardian and The Independent slamming it as “tasteless” and “narcissistic” for its focus on luxury during a time of economic hardship. The series, filmed in a $8 million rented Montecito farmhouse, has drawn comparisons to the South Park parody, with fans on X calling for a new episode to mock its “awkward tips” and “luxury living focus.”
Despite the backlash, Meghan remains resilient. Her decision to delay the release of With Love, Meghan from January to March 2025 to support Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts showed her commitment to community service, though some on X labeled it a publicity stunt. Harry, meanwhile, has focused on projects like his Polo docuseries, released in December 2024, and the couple’s joint efforts to support veterans through the Invictus Games, which Harry founded.
Conclusion: A Satirical Lesson
Meghan Markle’s fury over her South Park portrayal underscores the challenges of navigating public life as a former royal. The 2023 episode, with its brutal satire, exposed the contradictions in her and Harry’s quest for privacy, leaving Meghan “upset and overwhelmed” and fueling debates about the ethics of satire. While the couple dismissed rumors of a lawsuit, the incident highlighted the personal toll of such mockery, particularly for Meghan, whose identity as a biracial woman adds complexity to the criticism she faces.
In 2025, Meghan continues to push forward, undeterred by animated jabs or public scrutiny. Yet the South Park controversy remains a stark reminder of the media’s power to both entertain and wound. For Meghan and Harry, the path to redefining their legacy will require balancing their public ambitions with the shadows of satire—a challenge that, much like their animated counterparts, they cannot easily escape.
