The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have returned to the UK to a largely indifferent public, according to a new Ipsos poll, which shows the Prince and Princess of Wales remain the country's most popular royals.
William and Catherine topped the survey, with 65% of Britons holding a favourable view of the future King and Queen. They were followed by the Princess Royal (59%), King Charles (52%) and Queen Camilla (33%). Just 22% viewed Harry favourably, while Meghan stood at 17%.
Public shrugs at Sussex relocation
The couple's decision to relocate to the UK has not stirred strong passions. Fewer than one in five (18%) support the move, 29% oppose it, but the largest share (48%) hold no opinion. Similarly, there is little demand for a reconciliation with the rest of the Royal Family: 38% say it would be a good thing, 17% oppose it, and 33% take no position.
Attitudes differ sharply by age. Only 14% of those aged 18-34 oppose their return, compared with 43% of those aged 55-75.
Commentator warns of backlash
Royal commentator Christopher Wilson strongly opposes their return, six years after they stepped back as senior working royals and moved across the Atlantic. He said: "They should leave the country before they do more damage to both themselves and the Royal Family. If they believe they can undertake public engagements as if nothing had happened, I predict they are in for a rude awakening – people are angry and the upset they've caused, and won't be afraid to say so when they hit the street."
Wilson warns they are "going to get booed" and that Harry "couldn't be more wrong" if he thinks the Royal Family need him because there is a "gap in their ranks". He added that if they stay for "two or three" years in Britain they would become a "national joke".
A letter sent on behalf of the King makes clear the Sussexes are not working royals allowed to carry out official engagements but are "private citizens".
Monarchy retains public support
Despite the turbulence, the poll shows significant backing for the monarchy. More than eight in ten Britons (83%) expect the country to still have a monarchy in ten years, with 57% expecting it in 50 years. More than half (53%) think King Charles is doing a "good job", with only 9% saying he is doing a "bad job".
Forty-two percent believe it would be "worse for Britain" if the monarchy was abolished, while only 22% think the country would be better off without a Crown. Nearly half (49%) had a favourable impression of the Royal Family as a whole, with less than a quarter (24%) unfavourable.
Support for the Prince and Princess of Wales is strong: only one in ten Britons takes a negative view of Catherine, and just 12% look unfavourably on Prince William. Keiran Pedley of Ipsos said: "These latest findings underscore the underlying resilience of the British monarchy, with more than four in ten Britons convinced that abolishing the institution would leave the country worse off. King Charles continues to enjoy majority public approval, underpinned by the widespread popularity of the Prince and Princess of Wales, who remain the family's strongest assets."
