Why Prince Harry’s Popularity is Dipping But Prince William’s is Not – Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Once upon a time, Prince William and Prince Harry were closer than ever. Along with their beautiful wives and new ideas, they were viewed as a breath of fresh air the monarchy needed.
The dukes and duchesses were so popular that they were dubbed the “Fab Four” or the “Core Four.” However, it appears that those days are gone and the younger prince’s popularity has started to disappear along with those images of the foursome smiling and laughing together.
Rumors of a feud have been constant and while we may never what’s fact and what’s fiction, the reports haven’t done anything to hurt William’s popularity but the same can’t be said for the Duke of Sussex.
Prince Harry no longer favorite royal
At one time Harry was seen as the fun-loving, happy-go-lucky prince. That reputation and his demeanor made him the most popular member of the royal family. But a recent poll, which included 9,000 participants, revealed that the prince fell to the No. 2 spot behind his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Seventy-One percent of the voters still said they had a positive opinion of Harry, which is actually ahead of the 69% rating William received, but down from his 77% the previous year. That poll though was conducted between June 2018 and June 2019 before the royal and his wife, Meghan Markle, caused controversy with some of their decisions.
He’s been dubbed the ‘carbon footprince’
In July, the couple angered some when they announced that their son’s christening would be a private affair with no cameras allowed and the names of the godparents would be kept secret.
But royal watchers and fans alike just about had it when the duke and duchess were spotted boarding four private jets in 11 days. Because Harry and Markle are activists for the environment and speak out often about slowing the effects of climate change, their choice to take private planes drew plenty of criticism. The couple was accused of “not practicing what they preach” and the media dubbed Harry the “carbon footprince.”
Harry’s behavior over the past few months seems to be the reason his popularity has taken a hit.
“People aren’t stupid, come on Harry. He’s got detached from where he came from. He was a people’s prince, he’s now become some hypocritical, preachy, detached slightly confused young prince and he’ll lose his popularity,” commentator Duncan Larcombe said on Yahoo’s Royal Box.
The duke has done these things since being married to Markle so she is taking some of the blame as well.
“Since meeting his American actress wife Meghan Markle, he seems to have renounced his devilishly playful side,” Bristish morning show host Piers Morgan wrote in a column for the Daily Mail. “He also appears to be suffering from a severe infection of ‘wokeness’ … This is the dreadful politically correct disease prevalent among young millennials which turns them into preposterously worthy, do-gooding, virtue-signaling, fun-slayers intent on lecturing the rest of us on how to save the world and how we should lead our lives.”
William’s popularity has remained steady
Another survey conducted this year produced some similar results about Harry’s popularity declining.
The 2019 Opinium Monarchy Tracker survey had Harry tied with the queen but for second place. The royal taking the No. 1 spot in this poll was Prince William.
The Duke of Cambridge got a 73% positive rating among those surveyed. That number matches the rating he had a year ago. Harry, however, received a 70% rating after garnering 77% the year before.
In the wake of his brother’s actions, William and his family took a commercial flight from Norwich to Aberdeen. That didn’t go unnoticed and certainly doesn’t hurt the future king’s popularity. Whether or not the Cambridges were actually throwing shade at the Sussexes, much of the public now sees William and his family as more down to earth and relatable than Harry and Markle.
Read more: Prince Harry Was Able to Marry Meghan Markle Because She Didn’t Do This 1 Thing in Her Past
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