Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Are Far More ‘Newsworthy’ Than Other Royals, Study Finds
The public loves drama. This is no secret. Think about it: Whenever something terrible happens, it’s all people can talk about. Whenever something amazing happens, it might get some exciting news traction, but tragedy trumps all when it comes to public interest. And such is the case with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s tumultuous relationship with the rest of the royal family.
A new study finds that Harry and Meghan are more talked-about than any other royal couple. They outpace Prince William and Kate Middleton as well as King Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, and we can’t help but think it’s because of the drama that has been stirred up within the family.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle steal the spotlight more than any other royals
This isn’t exactly surprising. Harry and Meghan made waves back in 2020 when the two decided to step back from their royal roles. Tensions had been rising between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family for quite some time, and the couple’s decision to step down was heard around the world. The two have since settled down in California, and they’ve made sure to keep themselves in the spotlight. Harry and Meghan debuted a Netflix documentary in December 2022, and Harry’s “Spare” memoir was released in 2023. With that said, it’s no surprise that they take the cake when it comes to royal family coverage.
Express reports that a new study done by JeffBet.com has found that there is far more coverage (and interest in that coverage) of Harry and Meghan than anyone else — not including royals. As a couple, Harry and Meghan generate more traffic than William and Kate but also Beyoncé and Jay Z, and Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, who are second and third behind Meghan and Harry. Harry just edges out Meghan for being the “most valuable” one to write about, generating more money and website traffic than his wife.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s approval rating isn’t great
In the United Kingdom, Harry and Meghan’s approval ratings have both sharply dropped since the couple left. According YouGov, a poll that keeps track of royal popularity, Harry and Meghan both sit far below the other working royals. Meghan’s popularity stands at 29% while Harry’s is at 27%. For context, the most popular royal is still Queen Elizabeth II, who sits at 76%, while Prince William is the second-most popular at 67%. Kate Middleton is around 62%, painting a clear picture that Harry and Meghan are the least-liked royals among the “Fab Four.”
Even Camilla Parker Bowles’ popularity rises above Harry and Meghan’s despite that she was once strongly disliked for being Charles’ mistress. And Charles, who went through a tough time with the public after his divorce from Princess Diana, is even higher than Camilla. Charles is at 55% and Camilla at 42%. It’s unclear if Harry and Meghan’s popularity will eventually improve, should the couple improve their relationship with the other royals. But perhaps a reconciliation is still on the table.
