Meghan Markle Ranks Below King Charles in US Popularity Poll, But Americans Still Love Harry

Americans just can't quit their Prince Harry crush, it seems. The red-haired royal bad boy has securely planted himself as the second-most-popular living Windsor – second only to his big brother Prince William – despite having swapped palace life for California sunshine years ago.

The same survey reflects a contrary sentiment towards his wife, Meghan Markle, whose popularity lags behind even that of King Charles III in the United States.

The new YouGov survey for The Times dishes out all the royal tea, and it's a great cup of tea as indicated that about 56 out of every 100 adults in the US hold a favourable opinion of the Duke of Sussex. At the same time, roughly 21 out of 100 have a less favourable view.

Harry's Popularity Endures

Prince William, the next in line to the throne, is living large at the head of the living royals list with an impressive 63% positive rating and only 10% of Americans thumbs downing him. Guess those photos of him kicking a soccer ball around with the homeless and advocating for mental health issues are resonating with Americans.

Interestingly, the most well-liked royal remains William and Harry's mother, Princess Diana, who passed away in 1997, boasting a 79% favourable score and only a 4% unfavourable one.

Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in 2022, secured the second position with a 73% positive and an 8% negative ranking. Following her are William in third and Harry in fourth place overall.

Notably, Harry, who relocated to California with his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2020 after they stepped back from their senior royal roles, enjoys greater popularity among Americans than his sister-in-law, Kate.

Meghan's Popularity Lags Behind King Charles In The US

The Princess of Wales receives a 49% favourable rating and a 6% unfavourable one, while her father-in-law, King Charles III, is viewed positively by 48% and negatively by 27%. However, William, Harry, Kate, and Charles all enjoy more favour than Meghan, the sole American citizen among them, who registers a 41% positive and a 25% negative sentiment.

Even Princess Anne, with a 38% positive and 6% negative rating, and Prince Edward, garnering 38% positive and 10% negative views, receive more favourable opinions than Meghan. Meanwhile, Queen Camilla finds herself at the bottom of the list, sharing the lowest spot with a 26% positive and a 33% negative rating.

Prince Andrew, who stepped away from royal duties in 2019 due to controversy, shares the exact same rating: 26% positive and 33% negative. Moreover, he and Queen Camilla are the only two royals in the survey with a net negative favorability score.

The opinions of 1,296 adults in the US were gathered between 21st and 23rd April, which was before Harry's significant BBC interview last Friday, in which he expressed a desire for 'reconciliation' with his relatives.

Most Americans Approved Of Harry And Meghan's US Move

The survey also revealed that most Americans supported Harry and Meghan's relocation to the United States, with 42% expressing approval and 19% disapproval. A significant 61% reported that their view of the couple remained unchanged since their move to the US, while 17% now hold a less favourable opinion, and 10% now view them more positively.

Last Friday, Harry stated that his 'devastating' loss in the Court of Appeal, which denied his request to have his full-time police protection reinstated while in the UK, implied that his family could never permanently come back to Britain.

In a compelling BBC television appearance, Harry also asserted that Charles is not communicating with him and that he is uncertain about 'how much longer my father has.' The Duke characterised his legal setback as a 'good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up.'

However, Harry's choice to speak publicly has diminished the likelihood of resolving his strained relationships. There are suggestions that the King and his brother William will now be even more concerned that any private discussion with Harry could eventually become public knowledge.

Royal Family Presents United Front At VE Day Anniversary

On 5 May, in London, the remaining members of the Royal Family presented a united image as they commemorated the 80th anniversary of VE Day by observing a procession and an aerial display.

Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis joined their parents, William and Kate, for a rare public appearance to witness the spectacle alongside Charles and Camilla.

Wonder if Harry's upcoming Netflix special might bump those numbers even higher? Or maybe William needs to pop by Jimmy Kimmel to close the gap? Either way, the royal popularity contest shows no signs of losing steam with us Americans – we ditched the monarchy centuries ago but still can't get enough royal gossip!