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One in five Brits would abolish the monarchy - poll

Rebecca Taylor
·Royal Correspondent
Updated ·2-min read
TOPSHOT - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II reacts during her visit to Wolferton Pumping Station in Norfolk, east of England on February 5, 2020, where she officially opened the new station. - Wolferton Pumping Station allows the surrounding 7,000 acres of marshland, which sits below sea level, to be drained, dried out and farmed. The Queen's father, King George VI, opened the original station on February 2, 1948. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
One in five Brits would abolish the monarchy, according to a YouGov poll. (Getty Images)

One in five Britons would abolish the monarchy according to a poll conducted by YouGov.

But overall, support for the Queen and her descendants remains high despite the scandal around Prince Andrew and the forthcoming exit of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan.

YouGov polled more than 3,100 people and weighted the results, finding that 62% of British adults think the country should still have a monarchy.

But 22% thought it should not, and 16% did not know.

The poll came after Labour leadership hopeful Lisa Nandy said she would vote to abolish the monarchy in a referendum.

However, she said it was not a priority and admitted she’d like to see Queen Meghan.

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 16: Lisa Nandy speaking at a hustings event for Labour Leader and Deputy Leader, hosted by the Co-operative Party, at the Business Design Centre on February 16, 2020 in London, England. Sir Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy are vying to replace Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who offered to step down following his party's loss in the December 2019 general election. (Photo by Hollie Adams/Getty Images)
Lisa Nandy's comments on abolishing the monarchy sparked the YouGov poll. (Getty Images)

The south, excluding London, had the biggest support for the monarchy, at 69%, but all English and Welsh regions were above 50%.

However most of the objection comes from Scotland, where 44% of people said the monarchy should stay, and 34% think it should be abolished.

Male and female support is about equal (61% and 64%), though a higher percentage of men (25%) think it should abolished, compared to women (18%).

Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (2R) and his wife Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (R) talk with his father Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (L) and his wife Britain's Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (2L) during their visit to the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) in Loughborough, central England on February 11, 2020. - The DMRC currently provides services to a small group of veterans in the form of the Complex Prosthetic Assessment Clinic (CPAC), which is a joint MOD and NHS England commissioned outpatient clinic. (Photo by Richard Pohle / POOL / AFP) (Photo by RICHARD POHLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The Cambridges and the Cornwalls made a rare joint appearance in February. (Getty Images)

Conservative voters are most likely to support the Queen, at 82%, but even a majority of Labour voters (52%) back the monarchy, which might be a blow to Nandy’s support.

Leave voters are also more likely to support the institution, at 73%, but remain voters are fans too, with 57% in favour of keeping the Queen.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 08: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Queen Elizabeth II, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Louis of Cambridge watch a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour, the Queen's annual birthday parade, on June 8, 2019 in London, England. The annual ceremony involving over 1400 guardsmen and cavalry, is believed to have first been performed during the reign of King Charles II. The parade marks the official birthday of the Sovereign, although the Queen's actual birthday is on April 21st. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Brits are still in favour of the royal family. (Getty Images)

In the oldest age bracket (65+), 77% of people support her, and in the youngest (18-24) there’s 57% support.

Interestingly support wanes among those aged 25-49, dropping to 52% but picks back up to 69% in those aged 50-65.

The results might buoy Her Majesty who has been facing a difficult year, with the divorce of her oldest grandson, Peter Phillips, and her nephew the Earl of Snowdon, the latest in a series of blows to The Firm.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 07: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex depart Canada House on January 07, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Prince Harry and Meghan are likely to spend most of their time in North America. (Getty Images)

She is preparing to say goodbye to grandson Harry, who is likely to spend the majority of his time in North America following his decision with his wife Meghan to step back as senior members of the royal family.

And she has had to pull her son Andrew back from the front line of royal work after an interview in which he failed to show remorse for his friendship with the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

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