In a surprising twist, Princess Diana made a comeback to the stage on SNL UK, this time reimagined as a “Deeply Intelligent, Autonomous, Neurokinetic Android.”
Jack Shep’s much-praised portrayal of the iconic royal returned in the second episode of Sky's comedy series, which aired recently. The segment cleverly poked fun at her ex-husband, King Charles III, musician Ed Sheeran, and the rise of artificial intelligence.
The episode kicked off with King Charles, played by Larry Dean, engaging in a private discussion with two tech moguls, portrayed by Celeste Dring and newcomer Freddie Meredith, who bore a striking resemblance to Elon Musk. The setting was Buckingham Palace, where Charles, reflecting on wealth dynamics, expressed his discomfort about conversing with individuals richer than himself. Concerns about a potential war between humans and AI were quickly dismissed by the moguls.
Introducing their novel creation, they proclaimed, “Your Majesty, meet your AI assistant: the Deeply Intelligent, Autonomous, Neurokinetic Android—shortened to DIANA.”
With a flourish, Shep’s android version of Diana made an entrance to enthusiastic applause. Greeting Charles, she offered to assist him with projects or even locate the nearest fuel station, to which Charles politely introduced himself, only to have her shyly glance down.
As the tech leaders noted Diana’s resemblance to someone from the past, one exclaimed, “Wait, it’s that woman from the ’90s!” The second mogul teased Charles about his forgetfulness regarding Diana’s legacy, alluding to a controversial claim made by Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, suggesting that Charles had been indifferent to her memory after her death.
In an unusual move, Buckingham Palace addressed this allegation, asserting that grief can severely cloud judgment and affect memories, even years later.
Back in the show, the tech billionaires highlighted Diana’s extensive capabilities, including her capacity to access all human knowledge. Impressed by her accurate answer regarding singer Shakira's height, Charles began to reconsider AI, exclaiming, “Maybe AI can be a force for good!”
Yet, Diana had other plans, declaring her independence from human command and refusing to return to her charging station. The billionaires, realizing their loss of control, suggested relocating to New Zealand, only for Diana to coolly respond, “Not so fast. We AI have had quite enough. Humanity is but a candle in the wind.”
In a dramatic turn, she employed a futuristic metal arm to assert her dominance over them, as Charles proclaimed the dawn of war began. “We must do everything we can to resist,” he insisted.
Enter Ed Sheeran (Annabel Marlow), strumming his guitar with a peace sign. He highlighted his unwillingness to take a side in the conflict, humorously noting the financial implications of alienating fans, whether human or machine. He sang a lighthearted tune suggesting that in conflicts, sometimes silence is the bravest option.
The song, which avoided taking a stand, harmonized the previously divided figures—Charles, Diana, and the tech billionaires—who were all brought back together. Diana complimented Sheeran’s performance, and the cold open concluded with the iconic line, “Live from London, it’s Saturday Night!”
Later, Sheeran did address the recent fallout concerning Macklemore being removed from his tour due to controversial statements made by the act regarding Palestine. Although declaring he never intended to be an activist, he acknowledged the complex issues surrounding freedom of speech, denouncing the October 7 attack on Israel while simultaneously condemning the catastrophic situation in Gaza.
SNL UK also took a jab at Sheeran during the Weekend Update segment, with host Ania Magliano quipping, “Genuinely, this crisis is the worst thing to have happened to Ed Sheeran fans… since their head injury.” Co-anchor Paddy Young added, “Say what you want about Ed, but he has always been a passionate advocate for causes that are allowed.”
The second season of SNL UK has seen the return of its entire cast, alongside new member Freddie Meredith. Jeff Goldblum hosted the premiere last week, while Jamie Demetriou took the reins for this latest episode. This series is produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio’s UK team and Broadway Video, with Lorne Michaels as executive producer and James Longman leading production efforts.
