Princess Anne has overtaken the Prince and Princess of Wales to become the most popular member of the British royal family, according to third-quarter 2026 data from YouGov Ratings. The 76-year-old Princess Royal secured 67 percent of positive public opinion, edging out Catherine, Princess of Wales at 64 percent, and Prince William at 62 percent.
The Bottom Line
- Princess Anne captured the top spot in YouGov’s Q3 2026 ratings with 67 percent favorable public opinion.
- Kate Middleton and Prince William slipped to second and third places respectively after experiencing a dip in approval from earlier in the year.
- Public popularity varies sharply by age group, with Millennials favoring Prince William while Baby Boomers strongly back Princess Anne.
The Shift at the Top of the Windsor Rankings
The latest quarterly figures published by YouGov Ratings illustrate a clear shake-up in public sentiment across the House of Windsor. While Kate Middleton and Prince William dominated the upper tiers of popularity earlier in the year—culminating at 75 percent and 74 percent respectively in the first quarter of 2026—their approval ratings have since adjusted downward by roughly ten points. Meanwhile, Princess Anne has steadily gained five points over the same timeframe to claim the number one position.
King Charles III occupies fourth place in the standings with 53 percent positive opinions. Joe Little, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, noted to Hello! that the Princess Royal’s enduring appeal stems from her consistency and workload. Described by her son Peter Phillips as “tenacious,” Anne maintained a heavy schedule, executing 478 official engagements in 2025 alone, well ahead of Prince Edward’s 313.
Generational Divides in Royal Popularity
The YouGov data reveals that public backing for individual family members fractures along generational lines. Among Millennials aged 1981 to 1996, Prince William remains the preferred royal with 60 percent positive opinion, followed by Princess Anne at 55 percent and Catherine at 51 percent. Generation X respondents favor Kate Middleton first, followed by her husband and the Princess Royal.
The dynamic shifts significantly among Baby Boomers, where Princess Anne commands an 89 percent favorable rating. Catherine follows closely at 84 percent, with Prince William capturing 68 percent in that demographic. Gender splits also affect the hierarchy: male respondents place Anne in the top spot ahead of William and Kate, whereas female respondents give priority to the Princess of Wales.
Where the Rest of the Family Lands
Further down the YouGov standings, the Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, holds fifth place with 47 percent approval, followed by his wife Sophie at 45 percent, Zara Tindall at 39 percent, and Queen Camilla at 33 percent. The Duke of Kent and Prince Harry follow further back in the rankings.
| Royal Family Member | Q3 2026 Favorable Rating |
|---|---|
| Princess Anne | 67% |
| Catherine, Princess of Wales | 64% |
| Prince William | 62% |
| King Charles III | 53% |
| Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh | 47% |
Prince Harry registers at 29 percent positive opinion, while Meghan Markle appears in 13th place with a 22 percent favorable score, weighed down by higher levels of negative public sentiment recorded earlier in the year. Other figures such as Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor, and Princess Beatrice populate the middle tiers, while Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is absent from the current metrics.
