Prince William and Kate and Prince Harry looking to camera
Royals

William and Kate’s popularity nosedives after Prince Harry’s mudslinging memoir

Some of the mud appears to have stuck…

Prince William and wife Kate have seen their popularity nosedive following the release of Prince Harry’s memoir Spare.

A new poll, taken following the release, looked at the popularity of the entire royal family.

And, while the favourability of all royals has slipped since last December, William and Kate have suffered the biggest loss.

Prince Harry wearing sunglasses and a black top
Some of the mud slung in Harry’s memoir appears to have stuck (Credit: Splash News)

William and Kate suffer popularity slide

The latest Ipsos Mori poll quizzed 1,000 British adults aged between 18 and 75 across January 10 and 11.

And, following the results of the previous poll – taken on December 22 – things have shifted significantly.

While the stats suggest that less than a quarter of Brits hold a positive view of Prince Harry, elder brother William appears to have suffered the most.

He saw his popularity slide by 8%, with Kate coming in closely behind (and level with Harry) with a 7% drop.

Older respondents, aged between 55 and 75, held a more favourable view of the heir to the throne than those aged 18 to 34, it was revealed.

And, although William is still the most popular royal, with 60% of those polled holding a favourable view of him, it’s clear the release of Spare and Harry’s accompanying interviews have done some damage.

The only royal who appears unscathed by Spare was Camilla, Queen Consort. Her popularity remained the same.

Prince William wearing a suit
Although he’s still the most popular royal, William has seen his popularity slide (Credit: Splash News)

Now for the good news…

Prince William remains the most popular member of the royal family with a positive rating of 61%.

While the stories may have challenged the public’s views towards the individuals involved, the monarchy itself endures for now.

Wife Kate and Princess Anne tie for second on 60%.

Kate Middleton wearing a Burgundy suit
The Princess of Wales also experienced a drop in popularity following the release of the book (Credit: Splash News)

Most unpopular royal revealed

While half of the respondents held “unfavourable” views of the Duke of Sussex, it was another royal who saw their popularity really hit rock bottom.

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, landed at the very bottom of the scale. Just 10% of those polled said they held a “favourable” view of him.

Ipsos’ Kelly Beaver MBE said: “The immediate impact on public opinion should not be exaggerated – and it should be noted is partly a return from the uplift in public sympathy after the sad passing of the Queen.

“Britons are still much more positive than negative towards the King, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Princess Royal, and towards the Royal Family as a whole.

“While the stories may have challenged the public’s views towards the individuals involved, the monarchy itself endures for now.”

Read more: William and Kate share their grief with personal message about ‘sad’ death

YouTube video player

Head to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and share your thoughts.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor