A new poll reveals that after the interview they conducted with Oprah Winfrey, the popularity of Great Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle has plummeted, with Harry’s disapproval numbers higher than his approval numbers for the first time.
On Friday, a new YouGov poll was released that showed while 45% of the British public approved of Harry, 48% disapproved, a three-point deficit. On March 2, prior to the interview, Harry boasted numbers in which his approval rating was 12 points higher than disapproval numbers, thus indicating there has been a 15-point swing downward.
Only 31% of respondents viewed Markle favorably; a whopping 58% viewed her unfavorably. Her deficit was 27%, plunging from her deficit of 14% a week ago.
Prince Charles, Harry’s father, also saw a dip in his approval ratings; 36% of respondents viewed him unfavorably on March 2 and the latest poll found the disapproval rating at 43%, while his favorability ratings dropped 57% to 49%.
Among 18-24 year olds, 55% approved of Markle; 32% disapproved. Harry posted similar numbers with the age group: 59% approved while 28% disapproved. But among Britons 65 and older, 69% disapproved of Harry and a staggering 83% disapproved of Markle.
80% of respondents approved of Queen Elizabeth; roughly 75% of respondents approved of Prince William and Princess Kate.
After Piers Morgan made comments criticizing Markle on Monday’s “Good Morning Britain” for her comments in the Winfrey interview but before he left the show on Tuesday, Markle filed a formal complaint to ITV, which produces the show, according to the British press.
“The Guardian understands a formal complaint was lodged with ITV on behalf of the duchess after the broadcast,” The Guardian reported. The Telegraph also reported a complaint was made.
“Meghan Markle filed a formal complaint with British broadcaster ITV, after a presenter criticised her claims against the royal family and later quit,” Barrons reported. “…Britain’s domestic Press Association news agency said it understood Meghan formally complained to ITV before he resigned, confirming a report in the Daily Telegraph newspaper. The complaint focused on how his remarks may affect those trying to deal with their own mental health problems, it added.”
On Thursday, visiting a school in east London with his wife, Princess Kate, to promote a mental health program, Great Britain’s Prince William was asked about the racially charged allegations Meghan Markle, the wife of his younger brother Prince Harry, had made against the Royal Family.
“Sir, have you spoken to your brother since the interview?” the reporter asked.
“No, I haven’t spoken to him yet, but I will do,” William answered.
“And if you’d just let me know, is the Royal Family a racist family?” asked the reporter.
“We’re very much not a racist family,” William replied.
In the interview she and her husband conducted with Winfrey that aired last Sunday night, Meghan Markle had made the explosive charge that someone inside the royal family had told her husband Prince Harry while she was pregnant with their son Archie that they were concerned about how dark the skin of the child would be.
At one point Winfrey asked, “They were concerned that if he were too brown that that would be a problem?” Markle responded, “I wasn’t able to follow up. If that’s the assumption you’re making … that would be a safe one.”