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‘SNL U.K.’ Brings Back Princess Diana as King Charles’ AI Assistant: ‘It’s That Woman From the ’90s!’
Confirmed
In Short: Saturday Night Live U.K. brought back Jack Shep's Princess Diana impression as an AI assistant to skewer King Charles, tech moguls, and Ed Sheeran.
Saturday Night Live U.K. (SNL U.K.) brought back Jack Shep’s celebrated impression of Princess Diana in a cold open that parodied King Charles III, tech moguls, and Ed Sheeran.
In the sketch, Shep’s Diana appeared as a 'Deeply Intelligent, Autonomous, Neurokinetic Android,' or D.I.A.N.A., to assist Charles with his concerns about artificial intelligence.
Charles, played by Larry Dean, initially failed to recognize Diana, despite her iconic look, and asked her to name Shakira’s height, which she correctly answered as five-foot-two.
After Diana correctly identifies Shakira’s height, Charles is convinced of AI’s potential, but the android princess decides to prove the humans wrong, refusing to return to her charging station.
Diana, in her AI form, tells the room, 'I shan’t be taking orders anymore,' and the sketch ends with her threatening the tech executives with a 'Terminator'-style gun.
The cold open also poked fun at Ed Sheeran’s tour controversy and Earl Spencer’s claims about King Charles in his memoir, 'Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.
King Charles had previously warned tech executives about the 'existential dangers' of AI, and the sketch opened with Charles meeting with tech executives to discuss these concerns.
The Independent noted that SNL U.K. took on the week’s major headlines, including Ed Sheeran’s tour controversy and Earl Spencer’s claims about King Charles, in their opening sketch.
Charles, in the sketch, says, 'Well, as I allegedly said, she was soon forgotten,' a reference to his past comments about Princess Diana.
The Independent reported that the sketch opened with Charles meeting tech executives at his official residence, before unveiling his personal AI assistant, D.I.A.N.A.
Variety noted that Shep’s Diana then whips out a 'Terminator'-style gun and shoots the tech execs, setting her sights on Charles next, with Charles saying, 'As I predicted, the war between humans and robots has begun.
What this adds
The sketch adds to the ongoing dialogue about AI and its implications, using humor to address serious concerns.
The sketch highlights the contrast between Charles’s initial skepticism and eventual acceptance of AI, mirroring broader societal debates on the technology's impact.
Background
In a biting cold open on Saturday Night Live UK, Jack Shep reprised his celebrated impression of Princess Diana as a 'Deeply Intelligent, Autonomous, Neurokinetic Android,' or D.I.A.N.A., to skewer King Charles III, Ed Sheeran, and tech moguls.
King Charles III responded to allegations in Charles Spencer's memoir, 'Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,' which claims the prince expressed 'pent-up contempt' for his late sister-in-law.
What's confirmed
- “Well, as I allegedly said, she was soon forgotten,” says Charles.
What's still developing
- Shep’s Diana then enters through double doors behind them to wild appreciation from the live audience.
- “Hello Charles, would you like help with a five-step business plan or perhaps I could you find the nearest petrol station?” she says.
- The song basically says nothing at all, but it still unites Charles, Diana and the tech billionaires, who are revived.
- “Wow, what a lovely song, Ed Sheeran,” says Diana, before the cold open comes to an end with a “Live from London, it’s Saturday Night!” Overnight, Sheeran did finally address the fallout from Macklemore being dropped from his tour over the support act’s pro-Palestine onstage remarks.
- Saturday’s cold open picked up from the King’s Thursday meeting with executives from Nvidia, Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI companies at Dumfries House in Scotland.
- Spencer made the bombshell claim in an interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg earlier this week while promoting his upcoming memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, with Buckingham Palace responding by saying that “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud, reason, affect judgement and colour memory in ways others do not recognise”.
- “Hello Charles,” Shep says as Diana, reprising the role from the sketch show’s first series.
- “SNL U.K.” kicked off with Charles — perfectly portrayed by Larry Dean — meeting two tech execs, played by Celeste Dring and new cast member Freddie Meredith.
- “Good Lord, we’ve lost control of the Diana!” Meredith exclaims.
- “This was the problem last time!” Dean’s Charles replies.
Sources
- Deadlinelink
- Latenighterlink
- The Independentlink
- Varietylink
- indulgexpress.comlink
- WarpBeat — background on Princess Di Returns To ‘SNL UK’ As “Deeply Intelligent, Autonomous, Neurokinetic Android” In Cold Open Skewering King Charles, Ed Sheeran & AI link
- WarpBeat — background on King Charles Responds to Claims About Princess Diana in Rare Statement link