Princess Anne overtook Prince William and Princess Kate as Britain's most popular royal in new survey data released by a respected U.K. polling agency. The Prince and Princess of Wales usually top the list of favorite royals but William's aunt, Anne, got a bounce in the third quarter of 2026, according to YouGov Ratings data. All three royals were substantially more liked than disliked, giving them positive net approval ratings.
Royals are not subject to elections, meaning polling data has less urgency than it would for a U.S. presidential candidate, for example. However, the monarchy must still work to preserve its popularity and legacy for the future. King Charles III has long pursued a slimming down of the monarchy, creating debate about how long the list of working royals should be.
Anne's popularity in Britain serves as an indication there remains affection for family members beyond the direct heirs to the throne. In the first three months of 2026, Kate was liked by 75 percent and disliked by 10 percent, giving her a net rating of plus 65 in a survey conducted throughout the quarter as part of YouGov Ratings. YouGov Ratings obtains opinions throughout the year and presents the results quarterly, while most polls are based on fieldwork carried out over several days meaning they offer a snapshot in time.
Over the following six months, Kate's rating dropped leaving her with a favorability score of 64 percent and an unfavorability of 8 percent, with a balance of plus 56 between the two. That still leaves her deep in positive territory with a substantial fanbase and few critics. Prince William's popularity followed a similar arc, with 74 percent of people feeling positive about him and 9 percent negative in the first quarter of the year.
By the third, positive responses had dropped to 62 percent and negative to 12 percent, with a balance of plus 50. Again, as long as the curve levels out or bounces back in the coming months the dip will pose few concerns for Kensington Palace as polling numbers do fluctuate. Over the same time period, however, Princess Anne saw an increase in support.
Over the first quarter of 2026, she was liked by 62 percent and disliked by 7 percent, putting her on plus 55. In the third, she was liked by 67 percent and disliked by 7 percent giving her a net approval rating of plus 60, four points higher than Kate and 10 points higher than William. King Charles III experienced a boost over the same time period, taking him from 47 percent positive and 26 percent negative in the first quarter to 53 percent positive and 22 percent negative in the third.
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