LONDON — More than half of Brits support King Charles III’s decision to evict his son Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from Frogmore Cottage, a new survey reveals. One in three consider the decision “completely fair,” and 49 percent are wondering why this didn’t happen sooner. The survey of 1,000 adults also finds 44 percent think Meghan Markle is to blame for the new king’s decision, which he reportedly reached in January.
Despite many people supporting the eviction, six in 10 believe Harry and Meghan will use this latest royal drama to try and gain public sympathy.
“It would appear Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the British public is as strained as it is with the Royal Family,” according to a spokesperson for research agency OnePoll, which conducted the study, in a statement.
“The pair now have their base in Los Angeles, so it could be that the Royal Family are simply trying to re-allocate that space to someone who will use it more. But the Palace is remaining tight-lipped on the matter at the moment, so it’s difficult to guess their real motivations.”
Overall, the survey finds that 33 percent think it is completely fair and 22 percent think the eviction is long overdue. Just 10 percent consider the king’s decision “cruel,” while 11 percent were unaware it even happened. One in five say they are simply “disinterested” in the Royal Family’s ongoing issues.
Just over half (52%) say they would have done exactly the same as King Charles III. However, 40 percent believe the late Queen, Elizabeth II, would not have made the same decision. The Duke and Duchess quit life as “working Royals” in 2020, with Harry since penning an explosive tell-all book about his life to date.
Who should get Frogmore House?
Nearly three-quarters of respondents (74%) feel the Royal Family have too many empty properties which could go to better use. Brits would also like to see Frogmore House repurposed as a charity hub (36%), a private residence (21%), or even an Airbnb (8%). However, the cottage has reportedly been offered to Prince Andrew, which 49 percent think is the wrong decision.
Exactly one in 10 of those with a better idea for the residence think British sports stars Zara and Mike Tindall would make better tenants, while eight percent would like to see Princess Anne or Prince Edward move in.
As for Harry and Meghan, most expect they will soon be on TV discussing the matter, with 28 percent thinking this will happen in under two weeks. More than seven in 10 (74%) think the episode will cause more tension and damage the chances of familial reconciliation. Although, nearly four in 10 (39%) feel evicting Harry and Meghan is part of a campaign by the Royal Family to publicly punish or shame them.
“Most people’s family dramas don’t play out across the front pages of newspapers across the globe,” the OnePoll spokesperson adds. “As a result, everything Harry and Meghan do ends up under the microscope of public scrutiny. Our research shows many adults side with the Monarchy in this instance, while recognizing they also have their own ends.”
South West News Service writer Richard Jenkins contributed to this report.
