King Charles pays light-hearted tribute to comic Barry Humphries at Sydney memorial service

CANBERRA, Australia — King Charles III paid a light-hearted tribute to the late Barry Humphries at a state memorial service Friday in Australia, recalling his personal apprehension when the comic’s alter ego, Dame Edna Everage, performed a prank on him a decade in the past.

Video of the prank throughout a Royal Variety Performance in London in 2013 was extensively replayed after Humphries died in Sydney in April at age 89.

Humphries, within the character of the snobbish Everage, approached the then Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, as they sat within the theater’s royal field.

Everage checked out her ticket then defined to the laughing royals earlier than leaving, “I’m so sorry, they found me a better seat.”

Charles alluded to the joke in a message learn by Australian Arts Minister Tony Burke on the memorial service within the Sydney Opera House.

“I suspect that all those who appeared on stage or on TV with Barry’s Dame Edna, or who found her appearing at the back of the royal box, will have shared that unique sensation where fear and fun combine,” Charles wrote, prompting laughter from the viewers.

“Those who tried to stand on their dignity soon lost their footing. Those who wondered whether Australia’s housewife superstar might this time just go too far were always proved right. No one was safe,” Charles added.

Humphries’ comedian characters “poked and prodded us, exposed pretensions, punctured pomposity, surfaced insecurities but, most of all, made us laugh at ourselves,” Charles wrote.

Among celebrities who despatched video tributes to the Australian-born entertainer, who spent many years in London, had been composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, musician Elton John and comedians Jimmy Carr, David Walliams and Rob Brydon. Media magnate Rupert Murdoch and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese additionally paid tribute.