Skip to main content

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have had a hard time finding their way with the public ever since the two started dating back in 2016. Prior to meeting Meghan, Harry was one of the most well-liked royals in the family. But with all of the changes that have occurred since he and Meghan wed, the British public has finally made it clear that their approval of the prince has dropped tremendously.

Prince Harry
Prince Harry | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are carving their own path

When Harry and Meghan wed, they immediately decided to start doing things differently. Since Harry will likely never be king, it was easier for the two to change the rules a bit when it came to how they handled royalty. They worked with unique charities and launched new initiatives, and Meghan even explored guest editing British Vogue.

As Harry and Meghan were working hard to leave their own legacy within the royal family, they were working just as hard to develop the kind of relationship with the public that Prince William and Kate Middleton have.  

The two have found it difficult to win over the public

From the moment Meghan and Harry met, the British press started giving her a hard time. They dug into Meghan’s family life and revealed her troubled relationships with her father and half siblings. Plus, Meghan was constantly at the root of negative headlines, and the more rumors the public read about her, the more their opinion of her began to shift from positive to negative.

It started to get to the point where Meghan and Harry were having a very difficult time winning over the public. The two took an important trip to Africa last fall, which seemed to go over well among the British people. But the release of their difficult interview shortly after, which exposed the feud between Harry and his brother and largely painted Harry and Meghan as victims, pretty much overshadowed the good they had done on their trip.

Harry and Meghan announced in January that they’d be leaving the royal family.

Harry’s public approval rating has plummeted

Things haven’t been easy for Harry since he got married. But now that he’s left the royal family, his approval rating has dropped sharply — and royal fans have made it clear they’re not happy with him. Express reported that a poll conducted by Redfield & Wilton Strategies found that, out of 1,500 participants, 54% did not wish to see Harry and Meghan ever resume their royal duties. 18% said they didn’t know, while 28% said they’d like to see the couple return.

Fewer than one third of those who participated in the study were hoping the couple would rejoin the family. At one point, Harry was the third-most-liked royal in the family behind his brother and the queen — and his approval rating was at nearly 90%. But with all that’s gone on, the public has made it clear that they’ve changed their minds about him. Surprisingly, 33% of those polled said that the coronavirus pandemic caused them to have an even worse view of the prince.

Harry and Meghan completed their royal duties in March.

It’s unclear whether the two will be able to rebuild their reputation

Meghan and Harry are trying to start over. They recently announced their new charity initiative, Archewell, and they helped deliver meals to those in need during the coronavirus pandemic. But still, people seem to be at odds with the two — and it’s unclear what exactly it will take to get the public back on their side.

With everything at a standstill these days, Harry and Meghan likely won’t be doing too much charity work any time soon, though Archewell might be the key to showcasing the good they’re doing in the world — and to getting people back on their side.