Meghan Markle's approval rating soars in new poll as duchess closes in on Prince William

Kate and William/Meghan and Harry

The two young couples face down very different ratings among the Great British public

KENSINGTON PALACE/PA
James Saunders

By James Saunders


Published: 10/09/2024

- 22:26

Meghan has surged in the polls - and now ranks ahead of Prince Harry and even the King among some Britons

Meghan Markle has taken a major ratings bump among millions of Britons, raising her to within a hair's breadth of Prince William, a new survey has found.

Fresh data from pollsters at YouGov has handed the Duchess of Sussex a boost among Generation Z-ers in the UK, a group among which she now sees a net favourable score.


Though the much-maligned duchess is still yet to see a total positive rating higher than 50 per cent, 18-24-year-olds surveyed by YouGov handed Meghan a 48 per cent positive score, and a net 18 per cent positive rating.

Some 30 per cent of the group rated Meghan either fairly or very negatively - but among young Britons, only three other royals were ranked higher than the duchess.

Kate Middleton

Princess Kate enjoys soaring support across the UK

MATT PORTEOUS

Meghan Markle

Meghan is still yet to see a total positive rating higher than 50 per cent

PA

With YouGov's latest data in mind, it appears Meghan is nipping at the Prince of Wales's heels.

When looking at net favourability, Gen Zs in the UK were more taken in by Prince William at 20 per cent, Princess Anne at 22 per cent, and Princess Kate at 23 per cent.

Curiously, Britain's youth goes against the grain on the King and the Sussexes when every YouGov demographic is factored in.

Regardless of region, age, gender, political orientation or socio-economic status, Gen Zs are swimming against the tide on the three headline-dominating royals.

WHAT DO THE PUBLIC THINK OF THE ROYALS - READ MORE?

Princess Anne

Princess Anne remains Gen Zs' second-favourite royal

PA

They're the only group which has the King down at a net negative, and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at a net positive.

But it wasn't just youngsters surveyed by the polling giants - and the wider picture could make for grim reading for some royals, particularly a certain pair residing in Montecito.

In the UK as a whole, the same three members of the family topped the table - but unlike among Gen Zs, King Charles took home a solid score, coming in with a 34 per cent overall favourability rating.

Harry and Meghan appear to have work to do to win over the hearts and minds of the Great British public.

Harry and Meghan

Gen Zs are the only group to give Meghan Markle and Prince Harry a net positive rating

GETTY

Prince Andrew

The disgraced Duke of York sees a staggering negative 93 per cent net favourability from Lib Dem voters

GETTY

Among Conservative and Reform voters and over-65s, the Duchess of Sussex languishes at net negatives of 80 per cent or more.

While Prince Harry sees similar ire from the same groups, who hand him some damning negative ratings in the high 60s and low 70s.

The data also contains a few interesting individual tidbits for statistics obsessives to pore over: the strongest favourability towards any group or individual came from Conservative voters, who gave the Prince and Princess of Wales a 94 per cent favourable rating, and the Royal Family a stonking 95 per cent.

On the other end of the scale, it's Prince Andrew who - once again - languishes in the charts.

The disgraced Duke of York sees a staggering negative 93 per cent net favourability from Lib Dem voters - the most damning individual stat handed out by any single group across the entire country.

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