A third of Britons would support Prince Harry returning to royal duties permanently, an exclusive poll by The Mail on Sunday has revealed.
This represents a significant increase on the previous six months and suggests that the Duke of Sussex, now 40, has managed to turn the tide of public opinion.
Although more than 60 percent of the public still opposes or is undecided about returning, the prince has seen his support grow from 25 percent in March to 34 percent this month, according to Ipsos.
That’s a 36 percent rise, indicating that Harry’s more conciliatory approach to the Royal Family this year is starting to pay off as he seeks to strengthen ties in Britain.
In May, she returned to the UK without controversy to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games and in August for the memorial service for her uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes. In an apparent show of support for the Royal Family, she said last month that the paperback edition of her memoir Spare would not be updated with new “truth bombs”.
A third of Britons would support Prince Harry returning to royal duties permanently, an exclusive poll for The Mail on Sunday has revealed
While more than 60 percent of the public still opposes or is undecided about a return, Prince Harry has seen his support grow from 25 percent in March to 34 percent this month, according to Ipsos.
Royal author Margaret Holder said: “The fact that Harry has not continued to pursue the complaints industry is helpful. His work on Invictus is popular and his trips to Nigeria and Colombia may have gone down well with the public. He has not apologised, at least not publicly, and there will be some who will never forget his attacks, but he seems to be continuing on the right track.”
The Mail on Sunday, which recently revealed that Harry has been receiving advice from former friends and aides as he seeks to visit the UK more frequently, can also reveal that he has held brainstorming sessions with British associates, exploring ideas for “positive change” in his life.
The remote talks, aimed at laying the groundwork for future “big plans,” took place from his home in California.
One person he speaks to regularly for guidance is Nick Loughran, the right-hand man of his long-time friend, Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster.
Mr Loughran is a former media adviser at Kensington Palace whose wife works for the Sussexes’ Archewell charity. She met Harry in May when the prince was in the UK, and the two have remained in touch as Harry seeks a path back to public popularity.
Mr Loughran is understood to have no desire to take sides between the warring brothers and is believed to have been instrumental in the decision for Harry not to attend the Duke of Westminster’s wedding in June, allowing William to attend as an usher without their feud overshadowing the day.
An informed source told The Mail on Sunday: “Harry values Nick’s informal guidance on positive and forward-thinking issues.”
The Princess of Wales remains the most popular, with 66 per cent of the public having a favourable opinion of her.
Queen Camilla is at 41 percent, up from 38 percent around her coronation in May 2023.
The Foreign Office can also reveal that Harry remains in contact with Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, a former equerry to the Queen Mother who served as private secretary to Prince William and Harry from 2005 to 2013, as well as former royal adviser Ed Lane Fox, who led a revival of Harry’s public image in 2012 when nude photographs of him were leaked.
A source said the Prince’s recent meetings were another indication that he was “getting his old life back on track” and added that “the ball is in Harry’s court now.”
Meanwhile, the Prince, who today inherits a multi-million pound windfall from the Queen Mother, is celebrating his biggest birthday at his home in California.
As for the royal family as a whole, the poll found that 56 per cent think King Charles is doing a good job (the same figure as in April), while less than a quarter want a republic. Biographer Hugo Vickers said: “It’s good news for the king that his rating is holding steady, although, frankly, I’m surprised it’s not higher. He has shown great courage in facing his illness and doing the best job he can in quite difficult circumstances.”
The study, which polled 1,097 British adults between September 6 and 9, showed that opinions of the royals have remained broadly unchanged since April.
Since April, Meghan Markle’s popularity has fallen from 25 percent to 21 percent, only slightly higher than after Spare was launched, when it fell to 19 percent.
The Princess of Wales remains the most popular, with 66 per cent of the public having a favourable opinion of her, followed by the Prince of Wales on 65 per cent. Princess Anne, who quickly returned to work after a head injury in June, remains the third most popular royal on 62 per cent.
Queen Camilla has 41 percent, up from 38 percent at the time of her coronation in May 2023.
Since April, Meghan Markle’s popularity has fallen from 25 percent to 21 percent, only slightly higher than after Spare was launched, when it fell to 19 percent.
Prince Andrew remains the least popular royal, with just 11 percent support.