Public backing for Royal family plunges to lowest level in decades, new poll suggests - with Gen Z, millennials AND Gen X shedding support

By SHANNON MCGUIGAN, NEWS REPORTER Published: 01:46, 21 June 2026 | Updated: 01:48, 21 June 2026 Public backing for the Royal family has fallen to its lowest in over three decades, a new poll has suggested.  The number of Brits who still want a monarchy has fallen by 11 percentage points to just over a half in the last three years.  The statistics, which is the lowest in the 33 years Ipsos has been polling about the Royals. indicate withering support for the monarchy among younger people.  In 1993, there was a 69 percent approval rating for the royals, just a year after a difficult period for late Queen Elizabeth II. She described it as her 'annus horribilis', with three of her children's marriages falling apart as well as a horrifying blaze at Windsor Castle.  Years later, in 2012, the royals approval rating reached a high of 80 percent during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.  Later, it fell to 60 percent in 2022, the year she passed away at the age of 96.  In the years that followed, the royals have continued to face turmoil with a reported rift between Prince Harry and Prince William, as it is alleged the brothers have not spoken since Queen Elizabeth's funeral in 2022.  And the controversy surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor who was sensationally stripped of his titles over his links to paedophile financier, Jeffrey Epstein.  In February, 2026, he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Andrew has denied any wrongdoing.   Presently, just six in 10 of those asked believe the monarchy plays an important role in Britain's future, while almost a third think the opposite.   Twenty-seven percent of those surveyed by Ipsos said they would prefer to live in a republic rather than a monarchy.  Pictured left to right: Queen Camilla, King Charles III, Prince William, Princess Catherine, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and Prince Louis on June 13 at Trooping The Colour Meanwhile, six in 10 believed King Charles was doing well in his role, while 71 percent believed the same of Prince William.  But the poll indicates the biggest fall in support for the monarchy in the present day is among young people.  In 2013, 74 per cent of people aged 18 to 34 supported the monarchy, but today this stands at a mere 33 per cent.  Meanwhile, over half of people aged 35 to 54 back the royal family, with this number rising to 74 per cent among the over 55s group.  Ipsos carried out the survey with 1,062 adults in March 2026, shortly after Andrew's arrest.  The polling firm says it has altered its methodology since June 2025, and uses an online random probability panel.  It previously used a quota telephone survey. However it said that comparisons with previous research needs 'to be made with caution'.  Gideon Skinner, senior director of UK Political Research at Ipsos, said: 'Ipsos's latest research on public attitudes to the monarchy reveals an ongoing trend that the Royal family should not ignore. 'The monarchy still has its strengths, and King Charles and especially Prince William remain personally popular with satisfaction ratings that most politicians could only dream of. 'But to turn this trend around will require convincing young people in particular that the monarchy still has an important, relevant role to play in the future of the country.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.