This Unexpected Royal Beats The King and Queen as One of Country's Favorites in New U.K. Poll
But are we really that surprised?
In the grand tournament of royal popularity, it's not surprising that Princess Kate and Prince William frequently top the polls. But when it comes to the third most-loved royal, the winner isn't who most fans would expect. With her recycled outfits and no-nonsense attitude, Princess Anne has been quietly showing up for duties to support the crown her entire life—and now she's even more popular than her brother, The King.
Princess Kate claimed the crown in a new YouGov poll of the U.K.'s favorite royals, snagging the top spot with a +59 percent net favorability rating (74 percent positive with just 15 percent of people viewing her in a negative light). Husband Prince William followed closely with his own 74 percent positive score (though carrying slightly higher negatives at 19 percent). But the Princess Royal's 70 percent positive bronze medal finish shows that Brits seem to prefer her over The King, who ranked fourth with a favorability rating of 59 percent.
King Charles is viewed in a negative light by 34 percent of the public, which marks his lowest rating in the YouGov royals poll since he took the throne, per the market research company. In 2022, for example, he held a 70 percent popularity rating. As for Princess Anne, she's climbed up the ranks each year since 2019, when she received the same 59 percent positive rating her brother did in 2025.
Princess Anne is seen with The King and Queen Camilla at the 2023 Braemar Gathering in Scotland.
Princess Anne (far right) joined the Royal Family at the 2024 Festival of Remembrance.
Princess Kate's "royal sister" Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh and her husband Prince Edward also fared well in the poll, coming in at fifth and sixth with 55 and 53 percent positive views, respectively.
However, Queen Camilla ranked further down on the list with a more divided vote. She brought in a nearly even split, with 45 percent of the public having a positive opinion of her and 43 percent holding a negative opinion. Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Prince Harry, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Andrew rounded out the rest of the list, with only four percent of Britons holding a positive view of Andrew.
Back to the Princess Royal, her continued hard work and "keep calm and carry on" attitude has made her one of the Royal Family's secret weapons for years. This is the woman who calmly returned to royal duties a month after a horse-related accident that hospitalized her for days and very nearly could've ended tragically. Could it be that after decades of royal drama, the British public has developed a newfound appreciation for the royal who simply gets on with the job?
