Meghan and Harry's popularity plummets after UK return, poll reveals

Jennifer Hassan, USA TODAYThu, October 29, 2026 at 3:07 PM UTC

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LONDON – Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's popularity is declining.

Public opinion of the pair has soured since the summer, when the Sussexes relocated to Britain after six years in Meghan's home state of California. Their controversial return in August sparked a range of emotions, from shock and anger to happiness, but only now, two months on, are attitudes toward the couple becoming clearer.

According to royal family favorability trackers, shared by research firm YouGov on Thursday, Oct. 29, just 29% of Brits have a positive opinion of Harry, down four points since July. Only 20% have a positive opinion of Meghan, the research revealed.

The tracker notes that 68% of Brits see Meghan critically, up three points since the summer. This month, the mother of two's net favorability rating is -48, the lowest recorded by YouGov's tracker to date.

What else does research tell us about Meghan and Harry's popularity?

Harry and Meghan have long been among the most controversial members of the royal family.

The pair lost their HRH titles and taxpayer-funded security in 2020, when they announced they were stepping away from their roles as working royals. A wedge between Harry and his brother, Prince William, has only widened in recent years, and neither has indicated the rift can be healed, though Harry has frequently expressed a desire to reconcile.

The poll, conducted from Oct. 22-23, came just as news broke that Meghan's estranged father, Thomas Markle, is being investigated over an alleged stash of child sex images. In a statement shared early on Friday, Oct. 23, Meghan said she was "deeply distressed" over the "sickening" allegations.

More: Meghan confronted dad over abuse claims – Details of her final letter

How Brits feel about the most recent controversy surrounding Meghan likely won't become clear until early 2027, when YouGov is expected to update its favorability ratings.

In spite of the survey's findings, Harry and Meghan received a warm reception when they stepped out together for their first joint public appearance in the city of Nottingham on Oct. 15. The appearance, Meghan's first official engagement since Queen Elizabeth's funeral four years ago, was set against a backdrop of controversy surrounding their roles, royal titles and security arrangements.

Despite it all, the duchess was given hugs, bouquets of flowers and a very clear message: You are welcome here.

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William and Kate are the most popular. What about the king and queen?

William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, are Britain's most popular royals, with 72%-74% of Brits holding a positive opinion about them. The future king and his wife are closely followed by the monarch's sister, Princess Anne, with two-thirds of the public (68%) holding a favorable opinion of the 76-year-old.

The survey found that while more than half of Brits have a positive opinion of King Charles, his October rating of 58% is his lowest since he took the throne after his mother, Queen Elizabeth, died in 2022.

The research also noted that "Queen Camilla is more divisive." According to YouGov, 42% of the British public surveyed have a positive view of the queen, while 45% have a negative view.

While the research showed that 64% of Brits believe the U.K. should keep a monarchy, YouGov noted that younger people are noticeably less in favor of the institution.

More: See King Charles unleash surprising dance moves at Bahamas parade

The findings come as the king embarks on a controversial tour of the Caribbean, which has led to calls for an apology and reparations over Britain and the monarchy's historical role in the slave trade. Despite the debate surrounding his nine-day trip, the monarch appeared in good spirits on Oct. 28, when he was seen dancing and shaking cowbells during a parade in the Bahamas.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor remains most unpopular royal

Former Prince Andrew, stripped of his royal titles and sprawling residence over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, remains the most unpopular member of the royal family.

YouGov's latest figures show that just 4% of Brits view the ex-Duke of York positively, while 9 in 10 (89%) view him negatively.

More: Inside ex-prince Andrew's 'bleak' days in exile

British police arrested Andrew in February, and they continue to investigate him. Allegations about Andrew's association with Epstein and his conduct as the UK's trade envoy continue to plague him and the royal family.

Andrew says he regrets his friendship with Epstein and denies the allegations against him.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meghan and Harry's popularity plummets after UK return, poll reveals

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