A recent YouGov survey tracking public sentiment toward Britain’s Royal Family shows the Duke of Sussex gaining modest approval after reconciling with his father at a private estate in Gloucestershire. Conducted between July 21 and July 22, the poll found 33 percent of Britons now view Prince Harry favorably, marking a three-point climb from the 30 percent recorded in late April.
The shift follows a July 10 meeting at Highgrove, King Charles’ residence, where Harry arrived with Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The five-day visit marked the first face-to-face encounter between the monarch and his California-based grandchildren in several years, providing what observers describe as a tangible signal of rapprochement.
Negative opinion of the Duke of Sussex softened as well, dropping four percentage points to 58 percent. Compared to last year, when his approval stood at 27 percent and disapproval reached 62 percent, Harry’s numbers have inched upward by six percent. Still, a majority of respondents remain critical, with the rest undecided.
Royal Observers Credit Highgrove Reunion
Tracy Schaverien, HELLO!’s royal contributor, attributed the uptick to Harry’s decision to bring his wife and children along, framing the gesture as proof of genuine intent to mend family ties. Harry has publicly expressed his desire to end hostilities, declaring that further conflict serves no purpose and that he is open to repairing his relationship. His standing with the British public has eroded steadily since 2017, the year of his engagement to Meghan, and he stepped back from royal duties in 2020.
The reunion arrived after a difficult stretch for Harry. He recently lost a legal battle against Associated Newspapers Limited, which publishes the Daily Mail, and now faces anticipated costs running into the millions. Despite the setback, people close to him say the Duke remains positive after a taxing period that insiders acknowledge took a toll.
The Monarch Hits Record High
King Charles, meanwhile, posted his strongest approval since becoming sovereign. The survey found 68 percent of Britons believe he is performing well as monarch, capping a two-year stretch during which his personal favorability has ranged from 59 percent to 63 percent. YouGov conducts the Royal Family tracker four times annually.
The Prince and Princess of Wales continued to dominate the rankings, earning 76 percent and 74 percent favorability respectively—numbers that have held steady in recent surveys. Princess Anne claimed third place at 70 percent, cementing her reputation as the family’s hardest-working member. Prince Edward and Sophie registered 53 percent and 51 percent.
At the opposite end, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie appeared in a YouGov poll of this type for the first time, drawing 30 percent and 29 percent after keeping a low profile for the last several months. Meghan Markle notched 22 percent, a three-point increase. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, languished at two percent as 92 percent of those surveyed viewed him unfavorably. Overall backing for the monarchy has remained stable throughout Charles’ reign, with roughly two-thirds supporting the institution.
William Maintains Distance
Prince William did not join the Highgrove gathering, and the fracture between the brothers persists. During the week Harry visited, the Prince of Wales spent Tuesday at the London Welsh School, traveled to Hastings on Thursday, and appeared Friday at Guards Polo Club in Windsor for The Royal Charity Polo Cup 2026 alongside the Princess of Wales—hours before the news of the meeting emerged.
Robert Jobson, author of “The Windsor Legacy,” told Newsweek that the Prince of Wales has ruled out any rapprochement, characterizing William as feeling deeply betrayed and regarding the rift as permanently settled. Ingrid Seward, who wrote “My Mother and I,” characterized William’s stance toward any rapprochement as complete disinterest.
Archie and Lilibet last spent significant time with their grandfather during Platinum Jubilee festivities in June 2022, when the children were three and one. Whether Harry’s modest poll rebound proves durable—or whether it withstands the financial consequences of his court defeat—remains uncertain.
