Prince Harry mocked for ‘cringe’ American accent and awkward body language on Hasan Minhaj show

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Prince Harry’s attempt to show off his American side during an appearance on comedian Hasan Minhaj’s show 'Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know' left viewers divided, with many calling his exaggerated accent and body language “painfully awkward.” 

The Duke of Sussex, who joined Minhaj to discuss fatherhood and life in the US, drew laughs from the audience but also plenty of secondhand embarrassment online.

Prince Harry’s over-the-top American moment goes viral

In a playful segment, Minhaj challenged Harry to prove how American he’s become since moving to California. The royal eagerly obliged, straightening his back, throwing a hand in the air, and yelling “Yeehaw!” in a forced Southern twang.

He then launched into mock-American phrases with exaggerated enthusiasm, “I ordered breadsticks with ranch dressing at Applebee’s,” and “Do you like my cybertruck?”

Minhaj and the audience roared with laughter, but Harry’s accent, part cowboy, part surfer, left some viewers cringing.

While Harry clearly meant it as a joke, his overacted expressions and stiff gestures made the moment feel more staged than spontaneous.

Social media users later described the bit as “secondhand embarrassment in motion.”

Awkward gestures and forced laughter steal attention

Throughout the episode, Harry’s body language drew as much attention as his accent. While trying to appear relaxed, he often leaned forward abruptly, gestured too widely, and laughed a beat too long at Minhaj’s jokes.

At one point, he mockingly held an imaginary sword after Minhaj joked about knighting him, a gesture that came across as more awkward than charming. His nervous grin and shifting posture suggested he was trying hard to project ease but hadn’t quite mastered the casual confidence he was aiming for.

Even Minhaj appeared slightly amused by Harry’s effort to keep up the comic energy, smirking as the Duke awkwardly adjusted his jacket and fumbled his Americanisms.

The lighthearted exchange marked a far cry from Harry’s once-reserved royal demeanor. While the audience laughed along, critics online said the prince seemed “desperate to fit in” and “too aware of the cameras.”

“Harry’s trying way too hard to be relatable,” one viewer commented on Daily Mail's comment section. Another wrote, “The accent, the yeehaw, the gestures, it’s giving theater kid energy, not royalty.”

One wrote, "Look at his body language and dress sense, so sloppy and an air of arrogance!"

"The dimwit acting like a half wit. You couldn’t make it up," one said.

"Harry needs to be more aware of the 'body language experts'" a reader wrote. "He was constantly tugging at his ear while telling porkies."

"He sounds like an English guy saying American things. At least English actors always sound like some kind of Texas-Canadian on TV shows. Harry has no self respect he is nothing more than her puppet living in the States," another mocked.

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