Princess Anne tops royal popularity poll ahead of the Princess of Wales and Prince William
Anne, The Princess Royal, is the most popular British royal, with a 67 per cent positive rating in YouGov's Most Popular British Royal Family list.
The ranking was reported by Hello Magazine on 15 October 2026. YouGov, the polling company that tracks public opinion, asks respondents whether they view each royal positively or negatively. Princess Anne tops that table.
Catherine, The Princess of Wales, is second with 64 per cent. William, The Prince of Wales, is third with 62 per cent. Three points separate first from second. Two points separate second from third.
Charles III, The King, is fourth with 53 per cent. That leaves a nine-point gap between the King and the Prince of Wales. It is the largest gap in the top four.
Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh, is fifth. Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh, is sixth. Zara Tindall is seventh. The order places the Edinburghs back to back in the middle of the top seven.
The top seven runs from the Princess Royal through the Waleses and the King to the Edinburghs and Tindall. Each place reflects a share of positive views. A higher share means a higher rank. No other names break into that group.
Only 7 per cent of the public say they dislike Princess Anne. That figure sits alongside her 67 per cent positive score. The two numbers come from the same YouGov rating.
The Princess Royal keeps a clear lead. Her score is three points above the Princess of Wales. It is five points above the Prince of Wales. It is fourteen points above the King. Small gaps at the top. A wider gap to fourth.
What makes this stand out is the shape of the top three. A princess in her seventies leads. The Princess of Wales follows. Then comes the heir to the throne. Experience first. Then the younger generation.
For readers new to these polls, this means one thing. The list measures popularity. It does not change duties, titles or funding. The Sovereign Grant, the annual payment funded from a set percentage of Crown Estate profits, stays as set. Precedence, the formal order for state occasions, stays as set. The poll records public mood. Nothing more.
