A popular comedian recently entertained a high-profile audience by humorously poking fun at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during an event in Los Angeles. This isn’t the first time he has playfully targeted the royal couple with his jokes.

John Mulaney is said to have had Hollywood VIPs chuckling as he presented at Netflix’s prestigious season launch on Wednesday

During the event at the Egyptian Theatre, the comedian quipped, “This will be the one place where you [might] see Arnold Schwarzenegger sitting next to Nikki Glaser sitting next to a family therapist with music by Mannequin Pussy.” The crowd’s reaction included laughter and surprised reactions.

‘This is a really fun experiment. Not since Harry and Meghan has Netflix given more money to someone without a specific plan.’ 

While the audience found the comedian’s jab amusing, it was relatively mild compared to a previous incident in 2020. The comedian had previously referred to the Duke of Sussex as a ‘dumb ginger’ during a talk show segment.

The comedian left many viewers of NBC’s Late Night With Seth Meyers baffled as he spoke about the Royal Family in a bizarre pre-recorded segment.

‘You know it’s weird, right, that Meghan and Harry left?’ he said.

‘You thought rolling with those dorks in church clothes would be fun? Had you been told it was non-stop laughs? Because you’re thinking of The Munsters, you silly goose,’ he joked flamboyantly.

However, he insisted that Prince Harry was ‘the real dunce of this fairytale’.

‘You dumb ginger, don’t leave your title just because you don’t like your 94-year-old grandma,’ John continued.

‘That’s the definition of something you wait out, gangsta. I am pretty sure father time is going to sort out the case of the very old bummer woman who had 30 months to live,’ he joked, before adding, ‘Ahh, too mean.’

In other parts of the segment, he admitted he understands why ‘Harry and Meghan left’ and repeatedly stressed that the significance of their decision was eclipsed by bigger news stories, like the COVID pandemic.

A few weeks after the segment is understood to have been recorded, John checked himself into a 60-day rehab program for cocaine and alcohol abuse.

The stand-up comedian’s appearance was delivered while he was ‘out of his mind on substances,’ according to a source speaking to Page Six.

Many fans at the time expressed concern, with John kicking off his appearance in a rumpled duster and large sunglasses, which were presents from The Strokes’ singer Julian Casablancas.

Eagle-eyed fans noticed that something was up with John’s appearance and his rambling and often unfunny delivery.

At one point he removed the sunglasses to reveal squinting eyes.

The following year, John – after going to rehab – was back on the show and confirmed that he had relapsed on drugs shortly before his appearance. Seth was one of the people that was present at John’s intervention afterwards.

John’s jab at the Sussexes comes just weeks before one of Netflix’s best-known collaborators, the Duchess of Sussex, will put out her lifestyle show, ‘With Love, Meghan’.

 ‘It was shocking to me that Netflix would seemingly allow Meghan and Harry to be ridiculed at such a prestige event,’ a source at the event said. ‘The head honchos were all there.

‘And how strange that a show by the couple who signed a multi-million dollar deal with Netflix barely featured – apart from one brief clip in a montage.

‘Even film-maker Tyler Perry, the guy who loaned his LA house to the Sussexes after Megxit, got a mention.

‘It really felt like Netflix don’t give a d*mn.’

Harry and Meghan reportedly signed a $100 million five-year deal in 2020 to supply material to the streaming giant, which now claims to be the biggest in the world with more than 300 million subscribers.

The Sussexes’s film-making career got off to a flying start with their six-episode blockbuster ‘Harry and Meghan’ portraying their romance and departure from front-line royal duties.

Since then, however, it has been reported that Netflix executives have been disappointed with their contribution.

Their most recent documentary series, ‘Polo’ – about the Prince’s favourite game – has been panned, with the Guardian describing it as ‘unintentionally hilarious’.

The Sussexes have also made ‘Heart of Invictus’, a documentary about Prince Harry’s Invictus Games for wounded, sick and injured servicemen and women and, ‘Live to Lead’, an ‘inspiring’ series featuring such figures as Greta Thunberg and former liberal prime minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern.

A reviewer for the Daily Telegraph described the latter as ‘a torrent of motivational gloop’.

‘With Love, Meghan’, a cookery and lifestyle show – expected to be similar to those pioneered by US ‘domestic goddess’ Martha Stewart – was supposed to be the start of a commercial re-set for the Duchess.

News of her latest – and potentially final – Netflix collaboration coincided with her return to Instagram (Meghan had closed down her successful The Tig account in 2017, shortly before commencing royal life) and her launch of American Riviera Orchard, a commercial ‘lifestyle’ brand said to be focused on goods ranging from preserves to wallpaper.

‘With Love, Meghan’ was originally scheduled for launch this month but, according to Netflix, has been delayed ‘because of the ongoing devastation caused by the Los Angeles wildfires’.

However, some Hollywood insiders have suggested that the series is being re-edited.