Prince Harry’s struggle to win back public support tells a more complicated story than the latest YouGov figures suggest, with the Duke of Sussex polling level with Princess Beatrice and ahead of Princess Eugenie despite remaining deeply unpopular with much of the British public.
The October 29 YouGov royal tracker found that 29 per cent of Britons hold a positive opinion of Harry, putting him on a par with his cousin Beatrice and one point ahead of Princess Eugenie, who stands at 28 per cent.
However, the figures offer little evidence of a widespread change of heart towards the Duke, whose return to Britain with his family in August attracted considerable attention.
Sixty per cent of the public continue to view Harry negatively, with his positive rating falling four points since July.
Yet the comparison with Beatrice and Eugenie presents an interesting picture of the pressures facing the wider Royal Family, with the York sisters continuing to attract relatively modest levels of public support amid scrutiny of their parents, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson.
Both Princesses have retained their royal titles despite their father’s fall from grace, although neither carries out official royal duties.
Their position within the family has come under renewed scrutiny in recent months, particularly following revelations about their accommodation arrangements.
A National Audit Office report published in June found that King Charles pays the rent on Beatrice’s apartment at St James’s Palace and Eugenie’s home at Kensington Palace from the Privy Purse, which draws on his private income.
The watchdog found that the rents were set at 68 per cent and 64 per cent of the respective properties’ open-market values, following updated valuations in 2026.
The report also examined the wider arrangements governing royal residences, including how rents are calculated for non-working members of the Royal Family.
The findings prompted questions about the arrangements enjoyed by the sisters, who have private careers outside the monarchy.
Nevertheless, the comparison with Harry is not necessarily a straightforward verdict on their standing. The Duke remains a globally recognised figure, with a public profile shaped by his military service, the Invictus Games and Megxit.
Beatrice and Eugenie, by contrast, maintain considerably lower public profiles. YouGov’s figures suggest their popularity is more difficult to assess, with substantial proportions of respondents unable to give an opinion on either Princess.
Harry’s return to Britain may offer an opportunity to reconnect with the country where he grew up, although the latest polling suggests that any improvement in his public standing remains far from assured.
The Duke has spoken openly about what bringing his family back to the UK means to him, particularly the opportunity for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to experience British schooling.
In an interview with British GQ published last week, Harry said: “Being able to put the kids in a British school has meant a lot to me. I didn’t know how important it was to me.”
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He added that the children were enjoying the experience and described the opportunity to give them two different cultural experiences as important.
Harry also spoke about the appeal of being closer to his family and spending longer periods on British soil.
The comments offer a more personal explanation of the family’s return, rather than leaving it to speculation about the Duke’s relationship with the Royal Family.
His renewed presence in Britain also coincides with preparations for the Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham next year, giving him a significant opportunity to continue his work supporting wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans.
However, the polling suggests that Harry’s personal and professional ambitions have yet to translate into a more favourable public image.
His wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, faces an even steeper challenge.
Just 20 per cent of Britons hold a positive opinion of Meghan, while 68 per cent view her negatively. Her net favourability rating of minus 48 is the lowest recorded by YouGov’s tracker.
The figures mark a three-point rise in negative opinion since the summer and suggest that the Sussexes’ return has not, so far, improved their standing with the wider British public.
Meghan has continued to develop her commercial interests, including her lifestyle brand As Ever, alongside her family commitments and other projects.
Her relationship with Britain remains a central part of the public debate surrounding the Sussexes, although the polling does not establish why respondents hold their particular views.
The contrast with the Prince and Princess of Wales remains striking. William and Catherine continue to enjoy positive ratings of between 72 and 74 per cent, comfortably ahead of Harry and Meghan.
Meanwhile, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor remains the least popular figure in the tracker, with just four per cent of Britons viewing him positively and 89 per cent negatively.
Harry remains substantially less popular than his elder brother, but his support is comparable to that of two royal cousins whose public profiles have also been affected by the wider York controversy.
For the Duke, the challenge is whether his return to Britain and continued work through the Invictus Games can help reshape perceptions over time.
For now, the latest figures suggest that public opinion remains divided over Harry, while Meghan faces an even more pronounced struggle to win back support.
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