Support for the British Monarchy Falls to 33-Year Low, Ipsos Poll Finds
Public support for retaining the British monarchy has dropped to its lowest recorded level in 33 years, with just 55 per cent of UK adults backing the institution, according to new polling by Ipsos conducted in March 2026.
A Sharp Decline from Recent Highs
The figure represents an 11 percentage point fall since 2023 and marks the lowest reading since Ipsos began tracking attitudes toward the Royal Family more than three decades ago. At the height of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012, support stood at 80 per cent; it had already slipped to around 60 per cent at the time of her death in September 2022.
The poll, which surveyed 1,062 UK adults, was conducted weeks after the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office — a development likely to have weighed on public sentiment.
A Generational Divide
The decline is most pronounced among younger cohorts. Only 33 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds support the monarchy, while 45 per cent in that age group would prefer a republic. By contrast, 74 per cent of those aged 55 and over back the institution, with just 14 per cent favouring a republican alternative.
Gideon Skinner, senior director of UK political research at Ipsos, noted that “younger generations are now more republican than monarchist,” and warned that even middle-aged Britons are “much less supportive than at the peak of the Royals’ popularity in 2012.”
King Charles and Prince William Retain Personal Popularity
King Charles III holds a 60 per cent satisfaction rating in his role as monarch — broadly consistent with his ratings since accession, though notably below the late Queen’s average of 79 per cent between 1992 and 2022. Prince William fares better, with 71 per cent of respondents satisfied with his conduct, although this too is down from a peak of 89 per cent in 2012.
Six in ten Britons still believe the monarchy has an important role to play in the country’s future, against 30 per cent who disagree — a margin that offers some institutional reassurance.
Methodology Caveat
Ipsos revised its polling methodology in June 2025 and cautions that direct comparisons with earlier survey waves should be treated carefully. Nevertheless, the directional trend is unambiguous.
Skinner concluded: “While the majority of the country remains pro-monarchy and outnumbers republicans by 2:1, support for the institution is the lowest we have measured for 33 years. 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.”