Public think the royals are right to talk politics
THE ROYAL Family should be free to comment on global issues such as climate change, say the majority of people in a poll of Sunday Express readers.
Most also said they rated Prince William and Kate as far better role models than Prince Harry and Meghan.
The findings show strong support for the Royal Family against constant criticism it faces for commenting on climate change.
The exclusive poll revealed a whopping 42 per cent of people said they approve or strongly approve of the royals making comments on social and political matters.
Fewer than one in five still insist on them remaining neutral, with just 19 per cent saying they disapprove or strongly disapprove of their views on social and political issues being expressed.
And when asked which couple they view as better role models, a commanding 57 per cent chose the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, with a mere nine per cent backing the Sussexes.
Our poll comes as the Queen is scheduled to join world leaders at the potentially pivotal Cop26 United Nations climate summit which opens in Glasgow next Sunday. It also follows the 95-year-old monarch’s remarks earlier this month about her irritation with those who “talk” but “don’t do”.
And it comes just a week after Prince William’s hugely successful star-studded TV launch of his annual Earthshot Prize during which he called on millions of viewers to “unite in repairing our planet”.
Appearing to slam billionaire space tourists such as Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, the Duke said: “We need some of the world’s greatest brains and minds fixed on trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live.”
William’s crusade won praise from his father, Prince Charles, a lifelong environmentalist whose own views, once widely derided, have now been firmly embraced by the whole family.
The Prince of Wales declared: “I am very proud of my son, William, for his growing commitment to the environment.”
The Us-based Duke and Duchess of Sussex failed to muster much support despite their activism for several causes.
The pair spoke on stage at the Global Citizen Live festival in Central Park, New York last month in a bid to combat poverty.
And Meghan made a foray into political lobbying last week when she wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer demanding paid leave for US parents as a “national right”.
In her extraordinary 1,030-word letter, the Duchess, 40, declared: “I’m not an elected official and I’m not a politician. I’m writing to you at this deeply important time – as a mom – to advocate for paid leave.”
Earlier this year, as world leaders gathered for a G7 economic summit in Cornwall, Kate joined forces with America’s First Lady Dr Jill Biden to launch a transatlantic campaign aimed at promoting early childhood care and education as “one of the defining strategic issues of our time”.
In a joint article published on the website of US news giant CNN, the Duchess and the First Lady called for a “fundamental shift” in the way both countries approach children’s pre-school development.
They said they hoped to work together to promote a cause they described as “at the heart of how we rebuild with boldness and purpose from the pandemic”.