SNL UK Turns Princess Diana Into AI in Episode Two Cold Open

Princess Diana came back to SNL UK as a robot.

Jack Shep returned as Diana in the cold open — meaning the opening sketch before the titles — for episode two on Sky. This time she was a "Deeply Intelligent, Autonomous, Neurokinetic Android," shortened to DIANA, in a sketch that skewered King Charles III, Ed Sheeran and artificial intelligence, according to Deadline.

Larry Dean played Charles. Celeste Dring and Freddie Meredith played tech billionaires meeting the King at Buckingham Palace. Annabel Marlow appeared as Sheeran.

The set-up was simple. Charles hosts the tech figures at the palace. Diana arrives as the AI product they are pitching. The comedy comes from the clash between royal protocol and tech sales talk.

The episode follows the return of season two on 12 September on Sky and Now. The new run features impersonations of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Melania Trump, as reported by The Independent.

Early coverage of the series also noted jokes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's return to the UK, with Queen Camilla appearing alongside Charles, per Page Six.

Diana is in the headlines off-screen too. Earl Spencer's memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, is due on 22 September, as reported by The Independent.

For viewers, this means a familiar impression with a new twist. Shep's Diana was already established. The AI framing puts her into a different story, one about how the royals, pop stars and tech bosses are talked about in the same week.