Outrage as British talk show host John Oliver makes sick joke about the Princess of Wales on US TV show and quips 'there is a non-zero chance that she died 18 months ago'

British talk show host John Oliver has prompted outrage after making a sick joke about the Princess of Wales, saying she 'could have died 18 months ago'.

The Last Week Tonight host made the comments in an appearance on US network Bravo's Watch What Happens Live on Tuesday night - despite the Princess being seen just days ago. 

'There is a non-zero chance that she died 18 months ago,' the British comedian said on his show.

'They might be 'Weekend at Bernie's-ing' this situation,' Oliver added, referencing the 1989 film.

Responding on X, one critic said: 'Basically it's none of his or anyone else's damn business. Let the woman recover in peace.' 

Another added: 'Kate's allowed some privacy.' 

It is not the first time Oliver has made barbed comments about the royals. In 2018 he called them 'fundamentally flawed' 'and 'emotionally stunted' as he urged Meghan Markle not to marry into the family.

British talk show host John Oliver has prompted outrage after making a sick joke about the Princess of Wales , saying she 'could have died 18 months ago' 

Prince William leaves Windsor for Westminster Abbey on Monday with his wife the Princess of Wales next to him

Oliver continued his latest skit alongside Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen, who noted the Royal Family's moto of 'Never Complain, Never Explain.'

'I'm not saying it happened, but I'm saying it's non-zero until proven otherwise. Until we see her sitting there with a copy of the day's paper,' Oliver said.

Oliver added that he had ignored the speculation about Kate until 'the photoshop thing', a reference to the furore over the release of an edited Mother's Day family photo.

'That feels, like, you're almost handling it badly in an impressive way at this point,' the HBO star claimed.

Oliver made his comments in 2018 on Stephen Colbert's Late show. 

When asked by Colbert if he was excited to watch Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding, he said: 'I would not blame her if she pulled out of this at the last minute.

'I don't think you need to have just seen the pilot episode of The Crown to get a basic sense of... she might be marrying into a family that could cause her some emotional complications.' 

When Colbert said the current royals 'seem like nice people', Oliver added: 'Yeah... I mean, they're an emotionally stunted group of fundamentally flawed people doing a very silly pseudo-job. That's what she's marrying into.' 

Oliver began his career as a stand-up comedian in the UK before moving to the US and becoming the 'senior British correspondent' on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart in 2006.

He continued the role until 2013. The following year he began hosting Last Week Tonight. 

Kate was not expected to be seen in public until after Easter following abdominal surgery and two weeks in a private London hospital in January.

However, she was photographed on Monday alongside Prince William as they left Windsor Castle together.

Kate was also seen on March 4 in the passenger seat of a 4x4 Audi, which her mother Carole Middleton was driving near Windsor Castle.

It came as Kensington Palace came under increasing pressure to release the original Mother's Day photograph.

The Princess of Wales apologized for the confusion this week, saying she had edited the family portrait of herself sitting with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Experts told MailOnline it was changed using Photoshop and related AI tools.

The world's major photo agencies later 'killed' the picture after noticing signs of digital editing, including a missing part of Princess Charlotte's sleeve and the misaligned edge of her wrist and skirt, and the positioning of Kate's zip. 

The Princess of Wales gave an apology on social media. She said: 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day'. 

She signed it 'C' - for Catherine.

PR experts have described the Mother's Day photo fiasco as a 'massive own goal' and urged royal officials to release the unedited picture in a bid to regain the public's trust.

The world's top picture agencies - including the Press Association - 'killed' the image, saying it had been digitally manipulated.

Several well-placed sources in royal ­circles have told the Mail that Kate and her team have found the public fallout over the 'edited' photograph deeply 'upsetting'.

Several well-placed sources in royal ­circles have told the Mail that Kate and her team have found the public fallout over the 'edited' photograph deeply 'upsetting'. Above: Kate attending church at Sandringham on Christmas Day last year

They said: 'Everyone, including the Princess, is a bit shell-shocked by what has happened.

'A mistake was made but she has put her hand up and apologized. It's been very upsetting all round.

William and Kate often release a personal tribute on Mother's Day but it was also hoped that a new image of the Princess — the first since she was seen on Christmas Day — would put vicious social media rumours about her condition to bed.

Kensington Palace has not deviated from its first announcement in January that the future Queen had undergone what has only been described as 'planned abdominal surgery' and, while she was recovering well, was unlikely to be fit to resume official duties until after Easter.