The second episode of Saturday Night Live UK didn’t hold back in skewering a disgraced Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, with a cold open that fans quickly praised as the most ‘genius’ sketch yet.

The British version of the US hit has earned mixed reviews so far, with it recently revealed by industry sources that Sky have spent approximately £2million per episode on the show.

But following on from its viral roasting of Sir Keir Starmer during the show’s premiere last week, SNL UK kicked off its next run by mocking both Andrew’s fall from grace, and that of former European Commissioner for Trade Peter Mandelson.

Both Andrew and Mandelson have faced increasing scrutiny over their friendships with Jeffrey Epstein.

They have both been separately arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office following the publication of files about the convicted paedophile released by the US Department of Justice.

The sketch saw Andrew taken into an office by MI5 in the wake of Princess Diana’s death in 1997, before being told he was going to be at the centre of a 29-year plan to try and ‘make the future King Charles look good.’

The second episode of Saturday Night Live UK didn’t hold back in skewering Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, with a cold open that fans quickly praised as the best sketch yet

Former European Commissioner for Trade Peter Mandelson received a brutal mocking after both men were arrested following their mention in the Epstein files

An agent told the then-young Prince: ‘No one knows better than us how charming, capable, fiercely intelligent and morally upstanding you are. 

‘You are a credit to princes everywhere. Since the death of Diana the public have turned on Prince Charles but still one day he will be King. We need to make him look good.’

‘We have deduced that the only way to increase the likability of our future king is to decrease the likability of everyone around him.’

Andrew said: ‘I see. Well, I love my brother, I love my country and I’m willing to do whatever it takes,’ before the agents declare they’ve put together a ’29-year plan’ with a huge dossier.

Going through the pages nervously, Andrew told the agents: ‘And you actually need me to do all of this stuff? Even the part about befriending a notorious paedophile?

‘Before and after he is convicted? And there is absolutely no other way to make my brother look good?’

‘This all seems very high risk. Oh god, I’m sweating. Surely you can’t make everyone around Charles unlikeable. What about William? He’s so handsome,’ with the agents adding they were ‘seeing to that.’

Questioning his nephew Prince Harry, the agent coyly said: ‘He’s going to marry a woman 98% of the UK public will find it impossible to have a normal conversation about.’

The sketch saw Andrew taken into an office by MI5, before being told he was going to be at the centre of a 29-year plan to try and ‘make the future King Charles look good

The ‘plan’ laid out a string of scandals Andrew would be involved in, before making a hilarious nod to the former Prince’s infamous tale of a Pizza Express in Woking

Fans praised the sketch on X, with some branding it one of the best skits since SNL UK made its debut last week

As Andrew noted: ‘Goodness, this will kill mummy when the news comes out,’ the agents told him: ‘Turn to page 72, it will.’

Stepping things up a gear, the agents brought in Peter and Sarah Ferguson, telling Andrew: ‘Your Highness, if you’re ever in too deep, just say the code word and we’ll step in to save you.’ 

When he asks what that is, he’s told: ‘Pizza Express, Woking.’

Fans praised the sketch on X, writing: ‘Lowkey embarrassing for the US that the UK has managed to make a much funnier version of SNL;

‘Bold satire, SNL really said ”let’s take it all the way” – wild but kinda clever take on the whole Prince Andrew drama;

‘This Prince Andrew sketch is f*****g brilliant;

‘This might be the beginnings of a new Saturday institution here;

‘So this week’s #SNLUK was even better than the debut. The Prince Andrew cold open should have been the first thing viewers saw last week.

‘Weekend update, something I skipped in the US version, is the best part of the show here again. Please keep this show going.’

SNL is no stranger to taking aim at the Royal Family, with Harry Styles taking a scathing swipe at the former Prince on the US version earlier this month.

During his monologue, Harry referenced his lengthy absence from the spotlight, quipping he’d become ‘tremendously boring’, before saying his quiet spell was welcomed when compared to Andrew’s public fall from grace.

Andrew, who is the eighth-in-line to the throne, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he provided Epstein with sensitive information during his time as a UK trade envoy.

He has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to his friendship with Epstein.

Shortly afterwards, Mandelson was also arrested on suspicion of the same offence, having been accused of passing sensitive information on to Epstein during his time as business secretary.

He was subsequently bailed, but later released from his bail conditions, although he remains under investigation.

Mandelson is understood to deny any criminality or suggestions he acted for financial gain. His lawyer said after his arrest that his ‘overriding priority is to cooperate with the police investigation, as he has done throughout this process, and to clear his name.’