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Support for the British monarchy has fallen to its lowest level in more than three decades, according to a new poll.
A recent survey by Ipsos found that 55 per cent of Britons support retaining the monarchy, the lowest figure recorded since polling on the issue began 33 years ago.
When Ipsos first started tracking public attitudes in 1993, support for the monarchy stood at 69 per cent. It later reached a peak in 2012, when 80 per cent of respondents backed the institution.
The survey also revealed significant generational differences, with younger people showing considerably less support for the monarchy than previous generations.
Meanwhile, around 27 per cent of those surveyed said they would prefer the UK to become a republic.
An additional 18 per cent of respondents said they were unsure about whether the UK should remain a monarchy.
The Ipsos poll surveyed 1,062 British adults aged 18 and over between 5 and 11 March.
The findings highlighted a clear generational divide. Among those aged 18 to 34, only 33 per cent supported retaining the monarchy, while 45 per cent said they would prefer the UK to become a republic.
By contrast, support for the monarchy was significantly stronger among older respondents, with 74 per cent of those aged 55 and over backing the institution and only 14 per cent favouring a republic.
The survey also examined attitudes towards King Charles III, finding that around six in ten respondents were satisfied with the way he is performing his role as monarch.
However, those figures remain below the approval ratings typically enjoyed by Queen Elizabeth II, whose average satisfaction rating stood at 79 per cent between 1992 and 2022.
Prince William received a more favourable response from the public, with 71 per cent of those surveyed saying they were satisfied with him, compared with 14 per cent who expressed dissatisfaction.
The poll also found that six in ten Britons, or 60 per cent, still believe the monarchy has an important role to play in Britain’s future, while 30 per cent said they do not think the institution remains relevant.
Although a majority of Britons still believe the Royal Family should remain an important part of national life, support has declined compared with previous decades. Between 1999 and 2000, an average of 67 per cent of respondents said the monarchy had an important role to play in Britain’s future, compared with 60 per cent today.
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Gideon Skinner, Senior Director of UK Political Research at Ipsos, said the findings highlight a long-term trend that the monarchy cannot ignore.
“While the majority of the country remains pro-monarchy, and supporters still outnumber republicans by roughly two to one, backing for the institution is at its lowest level since we began measuring it 33 years ago,” he said.
Skinner added that the monarchy continues to benefit from the personal popularity of King Charles III and especially Prince William, whose approval ratings remain strong.
However, he argued that reversing the downward trend will depend largely on convincing younger generations that the monarchy continues to have a meaningful and relevant role in modern Britain.
