James Corden talks friendship with 'brave' Prince Harry after kids have play date

James Corden has discussed his friendship with Prince Harry, describing him as a “devoted and loving husband and father”, and revealed their children have had a play date together.

The Late Late Show host said he is a “huge fan” of both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and that his experience of them “has been nothing but positive”.

Asked if he had visited the royal couple at their home in Montecito, California, Corden, 43, told The Sun: “I have. It was more a sort of play date scenario [with the kids]. Then we went out for dinner after, it was lovely. Obviously I’m not telling you any more. Obviously.”

The TV host and his wife, Julia Carey, have three children – Max, 11, Cary, 7, Charlotte, 4 – while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have a son, Archie, 3, and an 11-month-old daughter, Lilibet.

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The comedian said that while he acknowledges people have their own opinions of the couple, he will always be supportive of them.

“Look, I’m a huge fan of both of them," he said. "Obviously I know Harry better than I know Meghan but I think it’s really hard to judge, or be judgmental.

“People process things and deal with things in different ways and that’s OK, and it’s all right to think whatever you think about somebody."

Corden went on to say his experience of the royal couple has been "nothing but positive".

“I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for Harry, and anyone who has been around him and spent time with him would feel exactly the same way," he continued.

“I think he is a devoted and loving husband and father and I think what they have done [in turning away from royal life] is incredibly brave and I’ll always be in their corner.

“I have nothing but admiration and respect for them. I think it’s impossible to judge any of it really.”

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Although Corden has recently announced he is to quit The Late Late show in 2023, he admits he'd love to have Prince Harry's brother and wife the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as guests before he leaves, but isn't "holding [his] breath" as the pair are so busy with royal duties.

“I’m a big fan of William and Kate,” he said. “I feel like they are going to be quite busy around the summer though, aren’t they? I think they have got quite a lot of other plans so I’m not holding my breath but they know where to find me . . .”

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Prince Harry previously told James Corden he and Meghan left the UK to “protect his mental health.”

During an interview on Corden’s Carpool Karaoke series, the host took Prince Harry on an LA bus tour, and asked the Duke about everything from how he’s liking his new home to his exit from royal life.

“It was never walking away, it was stepping back rather than stepping down…It was a really difficult environment as I think a lot of people saw,” he told Corden.

And Corden has previously expressed his support for Prince Harry on an episode of Howard Stern's radio show.

After being asked about Meghan and Harry's decision to step back from their royal duties, Corden replied: "I cannot imagine any of it is easy."

While he admitted he had never spoken to the duke "in depth" about the topic, "I do not think any person in such a position in his life is easy."

He went on to say that he believes the royal had a "tough time" giving up his official duties, but he knows Prince Harry as the upbeat character we all saw on the Late Late Show episode.

"The Harry you saw on the clip we did on the open-top bus, that to me is a great reflection of the person I know," Corden said.

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Earlier this month, Harry and Meghan announced they will be attending the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June.

The event will mark Lilibet’s first visit to the UK, and the first time Archie has returned since 2020.

“Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are excited and honoured to attend the queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations this June with their children,” a spokesperson for the couple said.

However, the Sussex family will not appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Trooping the Colour ceremony, as the Queen has opted to limit the line-up to working members of the royal family only.

“After careful consideration, the Queen has decided that this year’s traditional Trooping the Colour balcony appearance on Thursday 2nd of June will be limited to Her Majesty and those members of the Royal Family who are currently undertaking official public duties on behalf of the Queen,” the Palace said in a statement.

In April the Duke and Duchess of Sussex came back to the UK to visit the Queen at Windsor Castle before making their way to The Netherlands, for the Invictus Games.