Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Named Two Of Most Respected Royal Family Members In Public Poll

Jun 16, 2021

In a recent poll, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were named two of the most respected members of the royal family, and it is indeed welcome news for the Sussexes! While Harry and Meghan have faced difficulties in the media due to their outspokenness and criticism of the royal family, which has also caused a rift with other members of the royal family.

Their controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, and well as Harry's prominent role in the new Apple TV+ docuseries "The Me You Can't See" have both been received in many ways. According to the results of the recent poll, it looks like the younger population sees Harry and Meghan's actions in a positive light. 

Most recently, Harry and Meghan welcomed their second child, a daughter, on June 4, 2021. Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor's birth announcement came two days later, on June 6, and the newborn and her name have captured the attention of people across the world.

For months before the announcement of the birth, people across the world wondered if Harry would choose to pay tribute to his mother with the birth of his daughter. Since the baby was due in the summer but a due date was not released, many royal fans were hoping that the baby would be born around the same time as what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday on July 1, 2021.

This year, brothers Harry and Prince William will be unveiling a statue of Diana for the public on her birth anniversary, but it remains to be seen if Meghan will be joining her husband for the occasion. 

Back in January of 2017, the two brothers publicly announced their decision to commission a statue in honor of their late mother. Originally, the statue was set to be unveiled later that year but plans changed, and in August of 2020, a new date for the statue's erection was set. The new reveal date has been set to honor what would have been Princess Diana's 60th birthday on July 1, 2021. The hope is to remind Kensington Palace visitors of Princess Diana's life and legacy with the statue.

Both Diana's sons, William and Harry, have worked hard to preserve their mother's legacy both symbolically but also throughout their own charity work as parts of the royal family. Both brothers have taken carried on Diana's legacy in terms of being outspoken about mental health.

Harry, particularly, has taken on a new role after leaving behind his duties as a senior member of the royal family in March 2020. The controversial decision that Harry and Meghan to leave has been dubbed Megxit and even led to a rift in the royal family. This was further exacerbated after Harry and Meghan sat down for an interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, where they openly criticized the royal family and their culture. 

Harry has since continued to use his freedom to speak out about the royal family, including his role in the Apple TV+ docuseries "The Me You Can't See," and his interview with Dax Shephard on his podcast "Armchair Expert," where he compared his life as a royal as a mix between "'The Truman Show,' and being in a zoo."

However, it looks like his open and unfiltered criticism of the royal family as well as his keen support for mental health has made him and Meghan quite popular with the young crowd. The Mirror reported that a survey asked 1,000 teenagers and young adults who they found most popular in different categories, and in the royal category, Queen Elizabeth has retained her top spot even among the youth. 

However, the second and third places are taken by Harry and Meghan respectively, with 22 and 21 percent of the vote. Prince William and Kate Middleton meanwhile won 10 and 11 percent of the votes.

About this result, Dr. Nihara Krause, founder and chief executive at Stem4 said, "To earn the respect of young people today you don’t need to earn a fortune or have good looks. It’s far more important that you show bravery, resilience, and compassion for others and for nature."

She added, "Those are certainly qualities the Queen shares with some of the other names on this list such as David Attenborough and Marcus Rashford."

For many, it may come as a surprise that Meghan and Harry have rated so highly in the survey. They have been grilled in the media often, and their actions have been criticized highly by many media outlets in the UK especially.

However, the new generation seems to be drawn to the raw and candid way that Harry and Meghan have been sharing their lives. After all, the youth is no stranger to being an open book without shame or worry thanks to the platform that social media has afforded everyone today. 

What do you think of the most recent poll results? Do you agree that Harry and Meghan are the most popular royals? Tell us your thoughts, and be sure to ask your friends what they think as well.