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Britons enthusiastically back ‘Queen Camilla’ – by a margin of two to one, a poll found yesterday.
The first test of public opinion since the change to the coronation vows was announced reveals overwhelming support.
The Queen proclaimed at the weekend that the Duchess of Cornwall will become Queen Consort when Prince Charles accedes to the throne.
And a survey conducted yesterday found 55 per cent of Britons back the move, almost double the 28 per cent opposed.
However, the public still believe Princess Diana would have made the better Queen.
The warm show of support in Camilla, 74, came as she made her first public appearance since the historic announcement – visiting a primary school in Bath.
The Queen assured the Duchess of Cornwall (pictured) will be made Queen Consort when Charles becomes King in an historic Platinum Jubilee statement, ending years of uncertainty over the issue
The first test of public opinion since the change to the coronation vows was announced reveals overwhelming support
Britons enthusiastically back ‘Queen Camilla’ – by a margin of two to one, a poll found yesterday after the Queen assured the Duchess of Cornwall’s future status in an historic Platinum Jubilee statement
Overall, most of the Royal Family have seen big increases in their personal ratings since last year, with the exceptions of Prince Harry, his wife Meghan and Prince Andrew, whose popularities have all plummeted.
The Daily Mail revealed on Monday that Her Majesty gave her blessing to crown Camilla as Queen Consort – as opposed to Princess Consort – years ago and that Charles came close to announcing it in 2019.
The Queen chose her Jubilee weekend – the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne – to make the highly significant announcement and express her desire for her daughter-in-law to be fully acknowledged when Charles succeeds her.
She told the nation: ‘When, in the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes king, I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me, and it is my sincere wish that, when the time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service.’
Now her decision has been endorsed by the public, in a survey for the Mail of more than 1,000 adults conducted yesterday by pollsters JL Partners.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s popularity has also plunged in the past year, with Harry dropping ‘into the red’ for the first time, meaning more people gave him the thumbs down than the thumbs up. And his wife’s popularity has sunk even lower
Prince Andrew’s popularity has also plummeted – earlier this year his military titles and royal patronages were returned to the Queen
It shows people feel their views of Camilla have become more positive over the last ten years and since Diana’s death in 1997. A clear majority of all age groups backed Camilla getting the new title, and about half said they had a great deal or a fair amount of respect for her.
More than not thought Camilla would make a good Queen, and that Charles and Camilla would be an asset to Britain as monarchs.
But there was an age split, with the younger generation of 18-44 year olds narrowly believing that Camilla would not make a good Queen, and that she and Charles would not be an asset to Britain during their reign. Overall, the majority agreed the crown should not jump a generation to Prince William, when the Queen dies, by 51 per cent to 35 per cent.
And despite the Duchess of Cornwall winning the affections of the public, they remain united in believing Princess Diana would have made a better Queen, with 58 per cent saying so, compared with only 16 per cent choosing Camilla.
Charles and Camilla also lose out heavily to William and Kate, with 68 per cent saying the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would be the better king and queen.
The warm show of support in Camilla, 74, came as she made her first public appearance since the historic announcement – visiting a primary school in Bath
Charles and Camilla also lose out heavily to William and Kate, with 68 per cent saying the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would be the better king and queen
Asked to rate the personal attributes of Diana and Camilla, the Princess of Wales won on beauty, compassion, dignity, duty, diplomacy and sense of humour – but lost out to Charles’s second wife on brains.
By a huge factor, many more people blame Charles for the royal divorce than either Diana or Camilla. The popularity of the Royal Family as a whole has soared in the Queen’s jubilee year.
The monarch herself enjoys a bumper personal rating of plus 75, up 11 points since the question was last asked in March last year.
Charles and Camilla are both up by 16 points. Most strikingly, the duchess was given a positive rating by 55 per cent of respondents, and a negative rating by 34 per cent, meaning her net rating is plus 21 points, well up on her score of minus 4 in 2020 when more people disliked her than liked her.
William, Kate, and Princess Anne’s personal scores have also risen. But Prince Andrew – who is embroiled in sexual assault claims, which he denies, in an American court – is now at his all-time lowest score of minus 82 making him by far the least popular royal.
The poll shows that people feel their views of Camilla have become more positive over the last ten years and since Diana’s death in 1997
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s popularity has also plunged in the past year, with Harry dropping ‘into the red’ for the first time, meaning more people gave him the thumbs down than the thumbs up. And his wife’s popularity has sunk even lower.
By three to one, people said Harry and Meghan had not given the Queen enough support over the last year (59 per cent, compared with 20 per cent).
Most people (62 per cent) back the monarchy, with only 26 per cent saying it should be abolished. Support for doing away with the institution is highest in Scotland and among the younger generation, but even in these groups most people want to keep the royals.
Yesterday Camilla attended her first public engagement since the big announcement. She visited Roundhill Primary School in Southdown, Bath on behalf of the St John’s Foundation, a charity which supports disadvantaged children.
The duchess has been its patron since 2009. And the trip ticked all the royal boxes including flag waving school children, tea and cakes, a tree planting, plaque unveiling and even a posy.
As she arrived she was greeted by dozens of excited youngsters waving Union flags and shouting her name. She wore a favourite tartan skirt and jacket trimmed with velvet by Edina Ronay.
Yesterday Camilla attended her first public engagement since the big announcement. She visited Roundhill Primary School in Southdown, Bath on behalf of the St John’s Foundation, a charity which supports disadvantaged children
Outside, she took part in a tree planting ceremony with the school’s eco team, placing mounds of earth on a silver birch. The tree was being planted as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy, a Platinum Jubilee project to create a lasting legacy for the monarch.
Elsewhere, she made an unscheduled stop to speak with some pupils who were playing with pretend tea and cakes.
Literacy is one of the duchess’s great passions and she also stopped to chat with pupils in the school library who were creating their own books. Camilla asked if it was ‘all go’. ‘Well it is today,’ joked headteacher Sue Adams.
Before she left, she was invited into the school hall to listen to a cheery song specially composed for the occasion called ‘We Are Proud of Our School’ and unveil a plaque before receiving a posy.
Source: dailymail
