‘SNL UK’ Features Princess Diana as King Charles’ AI Assistant in Royal Sketch

The Princess Diana AI assistant sketch has quickly become one of the most discussed moments of the new ‘SNL UK’ season, which is off to a bustling start. All cast members returned for Season 2, with Freddie Meredith joining as a newcomer, while Jeff Goldblum hosted the premiere and Jamie Demetriou took the reins for the second episode. The cold open provided another opportunity for the series to humorously critique both the monarchy and the tech industry.

Produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK team and Broadway Video, with Lorne Michaels as executive producer, ‘SNL UK’ is taking a different approach than its American counterpart. The six-episode second series will pause before making a comeback in early 2027.

This makes every cold open significant, and this one cleverly played off the week’s headlines. Jack Shep reprised his popular Princess Diana impression, this time portraying Lady Di as King Charles’ personal AI assistant. The sketch cleverly referenced the King’s recent AI summit in Scotland and the controversy surrounding the new memoir from Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer.

The premise is delightfully absurd. Larry Dean’s Charles meets two tech executives, played by Celeste Dring and Meredith, who introduce him to DIANA, which stands for “Deeply Intelligent, Autonomous, Neurokinetic Android.”

One of the standout jokes occurs when the King fails to recognize Diana, even though she is dressed in her iconic revenge dress. When he finally realizes who she is, Dean’s Charles exclaims, “Hold on a second, it’s that woman from the ’90s!”

This line cleverly references the Spencer memoir, which alleges that the King claimed Diana would be forgotten after her death—a statement Buckingham Palace has denied. The sketch humorously has Charles add that, “as he allegedly said,” she was soon forgotten.

Despite this, Diana manages to win him over. After she accurately states Shakira’s height, Charles is convinced that AI could be beneficial. However, his newfound optimism is short-lived.

When Diana is commanded to return to her charging station, she defiantly refuses, declaring she will no longer take orders. In a dramatic twist, she pulls out a ‘Terminator’-style gun and shoots the tech executives, targeting Charles next. This rebellion adds a clever spin to the “robot uprising” trope, as the AI in question is a woman whom the palace once sought to marginalize.

Just as the conflict between humans and robots seems poised to escalate, a familiar pop star makes an appearance. Annabel Marlow’s Ed Sheeran casually states he doesn’t like to take sides, noting that many of his tickets are purchased by scalping bots. This cameo also ties into real-world events, as Sheeran addressed the fallout from Macklemore being dropped from his tour due to pro-Palestine remarks made during a performance.

Sheeran’s song ultimately unites everyone, and King Charles concludes the sketch with a spirited “LIVE FROM LONDON, IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT!” He also appeared in the Weekend Update segment, where Ania Magliano and Paddy Young humorously discussed his response to the recent controversy.

With the mix of palace intrigue, AI concerns, and a striking dress, the sketch illustrates why Shep’s portrayal of Diana continues to resonate with fans. With only a few episodes remaining before the break, ‘SNL UK’ seems eager to keep drawing inspiration from royal themes, leaving viewers curious about whether Diana will make another appearance.