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More than 11 million people in Britain and 50 million in the United States saw the couple claim that an unidentified royal had asked how dark their baby’s skin would be.
In this file photo taken in October 2019, Britain’s Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Great Britain’s Duchess of Sussex, attend the annual WellChild Awards in London. Image: AFP
LONDON (AP) – The popularity of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan has plummeted in Britain after their explosive interview accusing the royal family of racism, a poll suggested Friday.
More than 11 million people in Britain and 50 million in the United States saw the couple claim that an unidentified royal had asked how dark their baby’s skin would be.
The allegations, which the royal family said would be investigated, have plunged the monarchy into its greatest crisis since the death of Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, in 1997.
But the controversy has also polarized opinions on both sides of the Atlantic.
A YouGov poll said Harry’s popularity rating has dropped to 44% and, for the first time, a higher proportion of Britons view him negatively (48%).
In a poll earlier this month, in anticipation of the interview, 53% of the public said they viewed him positively.
Meghan already had a net negative rating, which has now risen to 58% from 53%, but only three in 10 (31%) view it positively, down from 38%.
The couple’s popularity has gradually fallen since their 2018 wedding, according to YouGov, as they reportedly fell out with Harry’s brother, Prince William, and his wife Kate, and announced that they were moving away from royal duties. .
The couple divided the generations, with strong support from Britain’s youth. Among 18-24 year olds, 55% like Meghan and 59% like Harry.
Those over 65 overwhelmingly dislike both: 69% view Harry negatively, while Meghan’s figure is 83%.
The poll found that the interview also affected Prince Charles’s popularity. He has not commented after Harry said his father at one point stopped taking his calls and complained that his family “literally cut me off financially.”
Charles is now viewed favorably by 49% of Brits, down from 57%.
Most royals have not been affected by their popularity, according to the poll. Queen Elizabeth II has a popularity rating of 80%.
The 94-year-old monarch said in a statement that she was saddened to learn of the couple’s unhappiness. He called the claim of racism “troubling”, although he suggested that “some memories may vary.”
The results contrast with an American survey by Morning Consult that found that Oprah’s interview boosted the couple’s popularity there by more than 20 percentage points, with 69% now having a favorable opinion of Harry and 67% of Meghan.
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