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Meghan Markle still divides America while Prince Harry’s popularity has almost caught up with Prince William and Kate Middleton, according to new polling for Newsweek.
Harry and Meghan’s standing in the U.S. took a major knock in January 2023 after the prince’s book, Spare, was published—complete with royal secrets and an account of him getting frost bite on his penis.
Since then, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been rebuilding their position and appeared to be back on track in December, when both had net approval ratings comfortably in positive numbers. But despite still having positive numbers, these have dipped.
Karwai Tang/Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty
Redfield & Wilton asked a representative sample of 1,500 adults for their views on different members of the Royal Family over February 18 and 19 on behalf of Newsweek.
Meghan was liked by 31 percent and disliked by 30 percent, giving her a net approval rating of plus 1—a significant drop compared with December, when she was on plus 15.
The swing has been driven by both a decline in support, from 45 percent in December, and a rise in negative sentiment, previously 23 percent.
Harry, by contrast, has remained comfortably in positive numbers, with 42 percent viewing him positively and 16 percent negatively, giving him a net approval rating of plus 26.
This was a drop of just three points from plus 29 in December and left him only a short hop behind Prince William and Kate Middleton, America’s favorite living royals.
The Princess of Wales was liked by 45 percent and disliked by 10 percent, giving her a net approval rating of plus 35.
And William was liked by 43 percent and disliked by 12 percent, giving him a net approval rating of plus 31.
Meghan’s slump comes after a seemingly successful visit to Canada to promote Harry’s Invictus Games tournament for wounded veterans on February 14, albeit one in which the prince took centre stage.
Harry gave an exclusive interview to Good Morning America in which he discussed having considered American citizenship and spoke warmly of his father, following King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis.
Earlier in February, Harry jumped on a plane to rush back to Britain just hours after Buckingham Palace released a statement confirming Charles had begun treatment.
Kate has also been recovering from abdominal surgery in January and is unlikely to return to public duties until some time after Easter.
Meanwhile, Charles was liked by 30 percent of Americans and disliked by 17 percent in the Newsweek poll, giving him a net approval of plus 13—down from plus 17 in December.
Queen Camilla had the support of 19 percent and earned hostility from 27 percent, leaving her on minus eight, which was down from plus 2 in December.
Jack Royston is Newsweek‘s chief royal correspondent based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek’s The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We’d love to hear from you.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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