CHARLES HIT BY DIANA BACKLASH
Anniversary of death sees Prince and Camilla’s popularity slump
PRINCE Charles’s popularity has plunged in the run-up to the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death, a poll reveals today.
Only a third of Britons believe the Prince of Wales has been beneficial for the Royal Family – down from nearly two-thirds four years ago.
And one in four thinks the heir to the throne has had a negative impact on the royals, a big jump since 2013.
To make matters worse for Charles, just 14 per cent want Camilla to become Queen when he becomes King – and a third say she should have no title at all.
The damning public verdict came as royal sources quashed speculation that the Queen planned to step aside from public duties to allow Charles to become regent. The poll’s key findings include:
Just 36 per cent of the public think the Prince of Wales has made a positive contribution to the monarchy, compared to 60 per cent in 2013;
Only 8 per cent believe he has made a very positive contribution, compared to 22 per cent four years ago;
Another 28 per cent believe he has
made a fairly positive contribution, down from 38 per cent in 2013;
Nine per cent thought his impact was very negative, up from 6 per cent, and 18 per cent fairly negative, up from 9 per cent.
Royal commentator Penny Junor said the poll indicated the public still resented Charles for the collapse of his relationship with Diana.
‘He gets a hard time because his marriage failed,’ she said.
‘He’s never been forgiven for that – because Diana blamed him and he never ever said a word. He’s never explained what went on in his marriage.
‘The question of Diana has always been a source of difficulty between him and his sons.’ Charles’s unpopularity is likely to have increased because of the widespread attention surrounding Diana ahead of the 20th anniversary of her death in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997.
William and Harry took part in a glowing television tribute to their mother on ITV, but made no mention of their father.
The YouGov poll for the Press Association was carried out during extensive press previews of a controversial Channel 4 documentary which screened video footage revealing how Charles had asserted his right to have a mistress.
Aside from the Queen and Prince Philip, William is regarded as having made the best contribution to the Royal Family with a 78 per cent approval.
This is followed by Harry on 77 per cent, Kate 73 per cent, Charles 36 per cent and Camilla on just 18 per cent.
But only Harry, who left the Army to pursue his charitable causes, has increased his overall positive rating, which was up five percentage points since 2013. William dropped by seven points and Kate by six.
In an indication of generational differences over support for the royals, Kate’s approval rating was 81 per cent with the over-65s, compared to 53 per cent among the 18 to 24-year-olds.
The number who believe Camilla has had a positive impact is down ten percentage points on 2013. And 37 per cent felt she had a negative impact on the monarchy including 18 per cent who regarded her as very negative.
Most think instead of Queen she should be called Princess Consort, but almost a third believe she should not have a title at all.
When Camilla married Charles 12 years ago, aides said she intended to be known as Princess Consort when he is King.
But according to legal experts, unless there is change in the law, Camilla will technically become Queen no matter what title she actually uses.
Mrs Junor said she was surprised by the findings, adding: ‘We’ve moved on 20 years. Charles’s reputation, I thought, was completely rehabilitated.
‘He’s become a much happier, more relaxed and more confident Prince of Wales and I thought much more popular as a result.
‘His view has always been that history will judge him.
‘He knows that he did all he could to try and make his marriage work and he failed.’
Of Camilla taking the title Queen, Mrs Junor said: ‘Principally her value is in giving Charles the confidence to do his job. It doesn’t matter a hoot actually what she’s called.’
Clarence House and Kensington Palace declined to comment on the poll.
Meanwhile, officials have dismissed speculation that the Queen has told her inner circle she will retire from royal duties and step aside for Charles if she is still on the throne aged 95.
‘The Queen has always been so vehement that there will never be a regency unless she was sick to the point of being unable to perform her duties,’ one told The Sunday Times.
The 1937 Regency Act would allow the Queen to cede her power to Charles, ‘in the event of incapacity of the sovereign through ill-health, and for the performance of certain royal functions in the name and on behalf of the sovereign in certain other events’. But Palace aides point to the Queen’s pledge to the Commonwealth on her 21st birthday, when she said: ‘I declare... that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service.’
Royal aides said yesterday they were mystified at recent speculation over the idea of a regency and insisted the claims were ‘nothing they recognise’.
According to one source, the Queen’s autumn schedule is as busy as it has ever been, with a series of visits around the country scheduled.
‘He’s never been forgiven’