South Park's Parody of Harry and Meghan: A Turning Point in US Popularity?

In February 2023, the animated sitcom South Park aired "The Worldwide Privacy Tour," an episode mercilessly mocking Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's pleas for privacy amidst their media ventures. While the episode was a comedy, it had a tangible impact on the couple's reputation in the United States.

The episode portrayed the "Prince and Princess of Canada" demanding privacy while simultaneously promoting a book and embarking on a global tour. The satire touched on Harry's memoir, Spare, and the couple's Netflix show, highlighting perceived hypocrisy.

A Newsweek poll conducted shortly after the episode aired showed a 3% drop in Prince Harry's popularity and a 4% drop in Meghan's popularity in the US. Experts suggested the episode "went for the jugular," exposing the couple's perceived obsession with controlling their narrative.

While Harry and Meghan's spokesperson dismissed rumors of a lawsuit as "boring and baseless," the episode marked a turning point, contributing to a decline in their popularity and setting the stage for further ridicule from shows like Family Guy and comedians like Jo Koy.