Why Keep the British Monarchy? John Humphrys Documentary Makes the Case for 'Putting Royals Out to Grass'

Does Britain still need a monarchy? The constitutional future of the UK is increasingly being debated, with independence and Irish reunification remaining live political issues in parts of the country.

If the United Kingdom were dissolved and England remained, what role would the Royal Family serve? That is the question veteran broadcaster John Humphrys explores in his Channel 4 documentary, 'The Royals: Time to Go?' aired on Tuesday night, 15 September 2026.

Why Should We Care?

'Right across the media and social media, everyone is expected to have an opinion on whether the king's second son coming home is a good thing or a bad thing,' Humphrys said in his documentary. 'Forgive me for not particularly caring either way. What if there was another way? We could vote to strip them of their titles, take away their funding and replace them with an elected head of state.'

'Of course, that's not going to happen. Anytime soon, if at all. But why shouldn't we have the conversation right now?' Humphrys asked. He was referring to Prince Harry's return to the UK with his family, wife Meghan Markle, and children Archie and Lilibet.

Channel 4 also commissioned a Survation poll of more than 2,000 Britons as part of the documentary. The poll found that 28% support abolishing the monarchy. The percentage rises to 38% among 18- to 24-year-olds.

Poll Findings on Monarchy

The survey also revealed that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's involvement with Jeffrey Epstein affected support for the Royal Family: 41% said his ties to Epstein made them less supportive of the Royal Family, while 49% thought Buckingham Palace was too slow to act when the issue became public.

Further, a majority (64%) said King Charles III should be required to pay income tax like ordinary citizens, despite the King voluntarily paying income tax. Plus, the King should pay inheritance tax (57%) and publish details of his private earnings (49%).

Views on Prince George's Role

Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and former Chancellor Sir Jeremy Hunt provided their respective opinions on Humphrys's sentiment. For Sturgeon, it means freedom for Prince George, who is second in line to the British throne.

'In fact, I would say one of the arguments for getting rid of the monarchy is for the sake of members of the royal family, like Prince George, for example,' said Sturgeon. 'That kid doesn't know any different. He has a certain life ahead of him that he has no choice over. Is that really fair?'

Hunt, for his part, is a long-time supporter of the institution. He believes the monarchy will 'unite us in a period where politics is incredibly polarised.'

Public Views on Royal Duties

Humphrys's documentary also included interviews with people on the street. One said the Royals don't really do much for the UK except bring in tourists.

'They don't really do anything for the UK,' a Humphrys interviewee said. 'No, it just brings a lot of money from tourism. I think people our age just want structural reform in our country.'

Humphrys said the head of state is too important to simply be put in the hands of one family. 'Think how different Britain might feel if the highest job in the land were open to people from even the humblest background,' he said.