This unexpected response prompted laughter from the audience, and Kak cleverly added, "The fact that you even noticed the white shows an unconscious bias." When the audience member revealed they were from Britain, Kak inquired, "So, you know what happened to me and my family," alluding to the ongoing rift between Harry and the royal family, which has branded them as "refugees" following their move to the US.
During the stand-up routine, Harry also touched upon the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, stating, "I know that terrorism is bad, but you know what's worse? Unconscious bias." This remark drew attention, as Harry had previously defended Megan against tabloid claims of racism within the royal family. The narrative gained momentum after Megan, in a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, disclosed that some royal members had expressed concerns about their son Archie's skin color before his birth.
Kak's roast of Prince Harry came at a time when Megan Markle's claim that the Royals are "huggers" had been questioned. Megan had made this claim during the Harry and Megan documentary series in December 2022 when discussing her first meeting with Prince William and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge. However, recent pictures of the Royal Family at Sandringham seemed to contradict her assertion. One image showed Prince George being hugged by former World Cup-winning England rugby player Mike Tindall, who is married to Zara, Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter via Princess Anne. This image went viral on Twitter, garnering thousands of likes and views, leading to the resurgence of Megan's comments.
Megan's full comment from the Netflix series highlighted her penchant for hugging and her initial misunderstanding of British formality. She had said, "When Will and Kate came over and I was meeting her for the first time, I remember I was in ripped jeans, I was barefoot... I've always been a hugger. I didn't realize that's really jarring for a lot of Brits."
However, Bishop Richard Jackson of Hereford, in the BBC's "King Charles III: The Coronation Year" documentary, provided a different perspective on the Royals, describing them as "extraordinarily affectionate." Prince Harry's own recollection in his book, "Spare," suggested that his brother, Prince William, found Megan's hug uncomfortable, leading to an amusing cultural clash during their initial meeting.
