Apart from dealing with his illness, King Charles is concerned about other matters—one of them being his popularity.
A year ago, amid news of his cancer diagnosis, he managed to win the support of the British people.
But now, that affection from his subjects seems to have waned. According to the latest polls, the situation is not looking so promising.
How is King Charles’ popularity faring in 2025?
Recently, it was revealed that King Charles III has reached his lowest net approval rating since ascending the throne more than two years ago.
The polling firm YouGov reported that only 59 percent of Britons support the king, while 34 percent hold a negative opinion of him, leaving him with a net approval rating of +25.
“While this net favourability score of +25 is noticeably better than any leading politician, it is down from +33 in December and marks Charles’s lowest rating with YouGov since becoming King,” the pollster commented in a statement.
It’s worth recalling that Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed enormous popularity during her reign, while King Charles began his with a somewhat tarnished reputation.
His extramarital affair with Camilla and the crisis in his marriage to Princess Diana initially left his ratings as king significantly lower than his mother’s.
This, coupled with criticism from Harry and Meghan and pressure from younger generations, has further impacted his standing.
Speaking of generations, it appears that the king’s low popularity is primarily driven by 18- to 24-year-olds, 50 percent of whom view him negatively.
By comparison, among those over 65, 75 percent support him. Interestingly, among 25- to 49-year-olds, 53 percent hold him in good regard.
As for the monarchy in general, the scores reflect more favorable attitudes. In fact, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, remains the public’s favorite, with 74 percent approval.
Prince William is virtually tied, with 74 percent positive opinions and 19 percent negative, leaving him with a net rating of +55.
On the other hand, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex do not enjoy the same favor in Britain. Prince Harry garners 30 percent support and 61 percent disapproval, while Meghan stands at 21 percent approval and 68 percent disapproval.