According to a survey of the British public, Prince Charles may not be the favourite choice as the next King.
WATCH: Rare footage of Prince Charles attempting to breakdance in 1985
In January, a poll conducted by The Independent confirmed that 46 percent of the public (or the sample of 1,500 in this case) thought that Charles should just abdicate instead.
The public said they would prefer that Charles pass the crown along to his eldest son, Prince William, upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II, rather than take the throne himself.
Another 29 percent stated that they have no opinion on the matter. (They would probably just prefer that whoever lives in Buckingham Palace pay some taxes.)
And the bad news for Charles doesn’t stop there, as YouGov’s end-of-2018 likability poll, only 48 percent had a positive opinion of the Prince of Wales.
The Duke of Cornwall has been well aware for some time that he’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
“I’ve gone on regardless of the endless criticism and carping and shouting and screaming, because I’ve always believed in the long term,” Charles said in recent doco Prince Charles: Inside the Duchy of Cornwall
While Charles was referring here to his convictions regarding town planning, sustainable farming and other ecologically minded solutions, he could just as well be talking about his overall position in the monarchy.
Charles’ reputation took a slide during the breakdown of his marriage to Princess Diana.
The couple were married in 1981, but suffered due to their incompatibility and extramarital affairs.
They separated in 1992, soon after the breakdown of their relationship became public knowledge, and divorced in 1996.
The couple’s relationship was played out in the tabloids, which did nothing to improve the public’s opinion of the Prince.
Since then, Charles has married his longtime love, Camilla Parker Bowles.
And in recent years, the public’s opinion of him has softened.
At 70 years old, Prince Charles is the longest serving heir–apparent, having stepped into the role when his mother became queen in 1952.
Queen Elizabeth II is the longest reigning monarch, having sat on the throne for 67 years.
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