Wisdom from the mouths of babes
Deciding who is the most popular royal can be an interesting (or irritating!) talking point. However, there’s a serious issue behind the headlines. The public’s support, and thus taxpayer’s money, ensures the survival of the monarchy. Both courtiers and senior royals take a great deal of notice of polling figures, even when they pretend publicly that they don’t.
The perceived wisdom (always rolled out when discussing royal renegades Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex) is that younger, more liberal people are sceptical of the royals and the institution generally, while older people poll more favourably. Yet a recent study by King’s College London (KCL) found that primary schoolchildren in the UK are far more likely to support the monarchy than young adults.
Last year, researchers asked almost 2,000 children aged between six and 12, across 200 schools in England, Scotland and Wales, about their feelings towards the Royal Family. A majority had a positive response to the monarchy, in terms of making them feel ‘happy’, ‘excited’ or ‘proud’. On average, the study found 65% support for the monarchy from this representative group of primary schools, with the highest levels of 68% from those pupils who attend faith schools.
Perhaps in a Coronation year this is unsurprising, yet they stand in stark contrast to the views of young adults, with a long-running YouGov twiceyearly poll showing that only 30% of 18 to 24-year-olds saw the monarchy as ‘good for Britain’. It’s not until the over-50 age range where a majority say the monarchy is good for the country, which overall found 52% backing the royals, while the most pro-monarchy age group is the over-65s. Lead researcher Dr George Gross said, ‘Our initial poll results certainly challenge the idea or consensus that the monarchy lacks support among younger people.’
Good news then for The Firm as the King recovers from his cancer treatment and the Princess of Wales faces her own health challenges. Their personal approval ratings have also improved
(up from 63% to 66% for Charles), as we can all identify with, and sympathise with, family illness. Yet the KCL research also serves, as Dr Gross says, as a reminder of how a monarchy ‘has to be seen to be believed’, with an event like the Coronation really engaging a young audience.
Two hearts one duty
Few royal couples have stood the test of time like Queen Elizabeth II and her loyal husband, Prince Philip. Their 73-year union was one for the history books until their sad deaths some 17 months apart in 2021 and 2022. But their timeless love story has inspired a future royal generation – and now Catherine and her husband William have taken up the baton and appear to have the same unshakeably strong partnership.
King Charles’ former butler Grant Harrold, who also worked with
Kate, 42, and William, 41, during his time at Buckingham Palace and other royal residences, has told woman&home magazine, ‘The thing about William and Kate is that they very much remind me of the late Queen and Prince Philip. They were a team and a partnership, and William and Kate are very much like that too. It’s almost like history nicely repeating itself, because the two of them are a good team and they are also best friends.’
And Grant, who is now an etiquette expert, has revealed that behind closed doors, Kate ‘one hundred per cent’ reminds him of the late monarch with her unwavering dedication to duty.
As Kate and William prepare to eventually take over the throne, they will no doubt be looking to put their own stamp on things as a modern royal couple, while always honouring the Queen and Philip’s main value – that they’ll tackle anything that comes their way together.