Comedian Lewis Spears learns of Prince Philip’s death while telling a joke about him

The embarrassing moment an Australian comedian learns of Prince Philip’s death live on stage when he’s in the middle of telling a poor-taste joke about the Duke of Edinburgh

An Australian stand-up comedian learned of Prince Philip’s death at the exact moment he was ridiculing the late royal on stage.

Lewis Spears had just delivered a joke about the Duke of Edinburgh at a club in Melbourne on Friday night when someone in the crowd yelled out, ‘He died tonight!’

Mr Spears, 23, was skewering the Royal Family when he said Prince Philip – who died at the age of 99 – was ‘3,000 years old’.

Surreal: Australian stand-up comedian Lewis Spears learned of Prince Philip’s death at the exact moment he was ridiculing the late royal on stage in Melbourne on Friday night

‘Oh, can you believe that the royals are bad people? Yes! They live in castles. Of course they’re not very nice. Have you guys not seen Shrek?’ he began. 

But just seconds after mocking Price Philip’s old age and saying he ‘invented racism’, an audience member shouted, ‘He died tonight!’, which prompted gasps from Mr Spears and the crowd. 

‘What!?’ the funnyman shouted in disbelief, before reading aloud the announcement from an audience member’s phone.

What are the odds? Mr Spears, 23, was skewering the Royal Family when he said Prince Philip - who died at the age of 99 - was '3,000 years old'

Unexpected: Just seconds after mocking Price Philip's old age and saying he 'invented racism', an audience member shouted, 'He died tonight!', which prompted gasps from Mr Spears and the crowd

What are the odds? Just seconds after mocking Price Philip’s old age and saying he ‘invented racism’, an audience member shouted, ‘He died tonight!’, prompting gasps from the crowd

‘I have to say… it’s been overdue,’ he added, rather insensitively.

‘Are we sure he died today? I reckon he died 10 years ago and they wheel him out attached to strings at special events!’

Clearly still surprised by the turn of events, Mr Spears tweeted hours later: ‘Prince Philip died DURING my show tonight. Clip coming soon.’

Stunned: 'What!?' the funnyman shouted in disbelief, before reading aloud the announcement from an audience member's phone

Stunned: ‘What!?’ the funnyman shouted in disbelief, before reading aloud the announcement from an audience member’s phone 

Announcing the Duke of Edinburgh’s death on Friday, the Royal Family said in a statement: ‘It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

‘His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will made in due course.

‘The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.’

Rest in peace: Prince Philip died on Friday. The Royal Family had said in a statement, 'It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh'. Pictured with Prince Harry in 2014

Rest in peace: Prince Philip died on Friday. The Royal Family had said in a statement, ‘It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh’. Pictured with Prince Harry in 2014

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