Prince Harry, once the joint most popular member of the Royal Family alongside Prince William, has seen his popularity plummet in recent years. The 41-year-old, who stepped down from royal duties in 2020, is now ranked almost last in polling, with only his wife, Meghan Markle, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor ranking lower.
Polling reveals dramatic fall
Speaking to royal editor Emily Nash on the podcast A Right Royal Podcast, senior editor Jack Malvern unveiled his polling research, which maps out the once-popular royal's drop in popularity in the UK. Malvern explained: "So at one stage back in 2017, he was the joint most popular member of the Royal Family along with William."
He continued: "And now he is almost last. Not quite - he's just ahead of Meghan and, unsurprisingly, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. But that fall has been catastrophic for him. And it didn't necessarily happen in the way you might think."
Key moments of decline
Malvern noted that public opinion shifted at certain points, saying: "There were other parts where you might expect public opinion to change. When he went on the Oprah interview and when he published Spare - and they did have a big effect, and they were relentlessly negative."
He added: "From Harry's point of view, he just wants to set out his side of the story. But it hasn't been welcome in Britain amongst the British public."
Recent appearances and UK visit
Emily Nash mentioned glimpses of the "old Harry" in some recent appearances, such as his podcast appearance with Joe Marler, but added that "it's not really touching the sides at the moment".
Harry returned to the UK last week and was later joined by his wife, Meghan, and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The Sussex family then visited King Charles at Highgrove House.
