Prince George and the Royal Polling Numbers

This week's royal christening seems an appropriate moment to take stock and look at how public opinion towards the royal family is evolving. Overall, the message remains positive, particularly when compared to the bumpy ride that was the 1990s...

On the eve of last year's Jubilee celebrations, we brought together our archive of polls on attitudes towards the royal family for the Huffington Post.

Our review painted a picture of an institution in robust health, with 80% of the public wanting to see the monarchy continue. Just 13% of Britons saw themselves in the republican camp - the lowest for 20 years.

This week's royal christening seems an appropriate moment to take stock and look at how public opinion towards the royal family is evolving. Overall, the message remains positive, particularly when compared to the bumpy ride that was the 1990s.

Our post-Olympics poll found the public in a giving mood, and declared they were now feeling more positive on a whole range of things: London's transport system, the BBC, David Cameron, the NHS, Boris Johnson and - by a 70% to 5% margin - the Royal Family.

In October, our research for King's College London showed the Queen's approval scores running at a rather impressive 90% satisfied. Prince William emerged as the most popular member of the Royal Family, while public confidence in the monarchy's long-term future reached a 20-year high.

This survey did find 52% saying "the Royal Family should not receive as much money as it does". A sign of austerity Britain, worrying about the costs of "keeping the show on the road"? Maybe, but only in part: this figure stood at 64% in 2000 and was as high as 76% in 1992.

Our end-of-year survey for British Future did highlight one area which is closer to the hearts of the British: the National Health Service. When asked to say which of the (then) forthcoming 2013 anniversaries made them proudest, the 65th anniversary of the NHS knocked the 60th anniversary of The Coronation off first place.

What of the new royal arrival? This summer's "Royal Baby" poll found the public worrying about whether Prince George could have a normal upbringing and, on balance, advising against sending him to a state school. Once formal education is out of the way, there is a strong sense that when he grows up, he should do a "normal job" first, before taking on royal duties full-time.

And what of George's father? William may be the most popular member of the royal family, but just 35% of the public want to see Charles give up his right for the throne in favour of his son; 52% disagree. This hasn't always been the case, but the public now appear to be forming a settled view that tradition should be followed, and that Charles should be the next monarch.

Ipsos MORI's archive of public opinion findings on the monarchy are on our website.

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