Future king mocks stand-up's 'dad jokes'

Like every comedian, Jack Whitehall’s received some bad reviews over his career.

But now he’s received a withering putdown from an unlikely critic: Prince William.

During a school visit this morning, the future king was asked to share a 'dad joke’, to which he responded: 'I'm kind of trying to channel Jack Whitehall, because most of his jokes are pretty dad-like.'

William then told a knock-knock joke, with ‘who’s there?’ answered with ’Interrupting Cow’.

As the youngsters around the table tried to ask: 'Interrupting Cow who?' the Prince of Wales let out an abrupt 'moo'.

He said the corny joke was currently Princess Charlotte's favourite, adding: 'That's one I hear a lot at home at the moment.'

Prince William says he is channeling @jackwhitehall to tell a "dad joke". In the end he reveals inspiration for this Knock Knock joke came from his daughter Princess Charlotte. I’d say Whitehall’s job’s safe as William reveals the punchline to pupils at a school in SANDWELL ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/3xVspgWnzv

— Kate Mansey (@KateMansey) April 25, 2024

The exchange happened as the Prince took part in a school raid show at St Michael’s Church of England High School in Sandwell, West Midlands.

He popped in after 12-year-old Freddie Hadley invited him to see their mental health initiative via social media last October.

William replied to the pupil’s tweet, saying: ‘Good afternoon Freddie, I’m so sorry Catherine and I can’t be with you and the rest of the students at St Michael’s today. Tackling mental health challenges and stigmas head on is so important, please keep up this important work. W’

And today he paid a surprise visit to the school as part of  a day of public engagements in the region.

Jack Whitehall attended the same school as the Princess of Wales, Marlborough College in Wiltshire.

He mentioned the fact when hosting the Royal Variety Performance in 2015, saying: ‘We were actually at school together. This is true. We were at the same school.

‘I was a bit younger than you [six years] but this is the first time I’ve seen you since school, so hello.

‘I don’t know whether it’s appropriate given the circumstances, but you were probably my first ever crush. Okay, definitely inappropriate. Your Highness is giving me a very sharp look.’ 

The comic later told Jonathan Ross that William took the joke in the spirit it was intended.

He said: 'I flirted a little because I said she was one of my first crushes at school. And then in the line-up William came over and was very funny.

‘He was very nice, but very passive-aggressive, "Oh so you were flirting with my missus? Oh no, no, that was very, very funny".  That’s him going, "I could have you beheaded."’

Whitehall also performed a private gig for the King and his staff, when he was still Prince Of Wales.

‘I went out and they were sat, him and Camilla, in the front row in thrones, literally in thrones,’ the comic later told James Corden on his talk show,

‘I had no microphone so I was literally the court jester for half an hour. I did a load of jokes about Kate Middleton because she’d been at my school, and I was referring to her as "the one that got away" which he didn’t like at all.

‘I literally bombed so hard and afterwards I had to meet him and I had to bow and he said, "Yes, well, I think next year we might try a magician."’

Published: 25 Apr 2024