Prince Harry's neighbour Orlando Bloom defends 'poking fun' at royal in 'genius' parody

Prince Harry is among the members of the Royal Family to have been portrayed as animated characters in the new HBO Max series The Prince. Orlando Bloom has revealed that his wife Katy Perry was instrumental in his decision to voice the Duke of Sussex.

The show, created by Gary Janetti, depicts with a parodic twist the day-to-day life of the royals as seen through the lens of a heavily fictionalised Prince George.

The series is inspired by Janetti’s popular Instagram account, which has over one million followers.

Orlando, who resides in Montecito close to Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, has reportedly sparked up a friendship with the British royal in recent months.

The 44-year-old recently dished on his new role and admitted he had yet to mention the news to Prince Harry.

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Orlando’s fiancée, Katy, helped seal the deal, as he explained: “Katy was like, ‘You’ve got to do this. This is genius.’”

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor admitted he hoped Prince Harry sees the humorous side of the parody show.

Orlando said: “I hadn’t met him when I signed up to do it, and I subsequently met him and he’s such a nice guy and he’s got a great sense of humour.

“I hope he maintains his sense of humour through this because they’re sort of on a pedestal.”

The trailer dropped this week and shows the royals, drawn with exaggerated features, as pampered simpletons being waited on hand and foot by their servants in Buckingham Palace.

Despite the Duke of Sussex’s very public exit from royal life, he and Meghan also make an appearance in the trailer, inspecting apartments in their new home of LA.

“This might be the smallest palace I’ve ever been in,” says Harry, as voiced by Orlando.

Wife Meghan, voiced by Condola Rashad, tells him it’s an apartment – but he still doesn’t get it.

“Yes, an apartment palace, I know that. Lots of tiny palaces inside one big palace.”

In an appearance on Dax Shephard’s Armchair Expert podcast back in May, Prince Harry revealed he’d struck up a budding friendship with his new neighbour Orlando.

“Two days ago, Orlando Bloom sent me a message, because he’s down the road and we sort of keep in contact because of the paparazzi,” Harry said.

The streaming platform released the first 12 episodes of The Prince yesterday.

source: express.co.uk