During his opening monologue on The Late Show Monday night, host Stephen Colbert decided it was time for him to weigh in on “Megxit”.
Megxit of course, is the pun on Brexit which stemmed from the recent announcement that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would be stepping down from their senior royal duties in order to leave the U.K. and live primarily in Canada with their son, Archie.
Now that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have officially surrendered their His and Her Royal Highness titles, there seems to be a hole in the Royal Family — one which Colbert, 55, hopes to fill in with what he called a “Colbentrance.”
The TV personality began, “On Saturday, Queen Elizabeth herself announced that Harry and Meghan will no longer be working members of Britain’s monarchy. So, that means there’s a job opening in the royal family,” he added.
“Maybe a ‘Megxit’ means a ‘Colbentrance,'” joked Colbert with a smile, before being met with an abundance of laughter from the crowd.
He continued: “Hi. How are ya, Mrs. Queen?” Can I call you Queenie?”
“My name is Stephen Colbert,” said the host. “I’m interested in the position of Royal Highness. I have no formal training in being a Prince, but I have been told I’m a royal pain in the a–.”
Along with The Late Show‘s live studio audience, Colbert laughed at his own jab.
“I’m a fast learner, I’m highly-motivated, I can wave backwards, and I’ve never met Jeffrey Epstein,” he quipped.
The much-beloved host was referring to the disgraced Prince Andrew and his relationship with the late-financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
“Despite giving up his HRH title,” said Colbert, “Harry remains sixth in line for the crown, which puts him just behind Prince William’s children and just ahead of John Goodman,” he added.
Colbert’s joke garnered a multitude of laughs from the crowd and referred to John Goodman, the critically acclaimed actor, and his bumbling character King Ralph from the 1991 comedy film of the same name.