ONLY one in three British adults believe they would be worse off if the monarchy were abolished, writes Rachel Donnelly from London. And according to an opinion poll published yesterday, 42 per cent agree that the royal family is an expensive luxury.
The results of the Independent on Sunday/MORI poll which questioned 1,165 adults last month, shows that opinion, particularly among those under 25, is swinging against the royal family and especially the Prince of Wales. Forty one per cent of those questioned believe Prince Charles will make a good king, 40 per cent a bad one, while the rest did not offer a view.
The poll highlights a shift in opinion from that of six years ago when figures showed only 30 per cent believed they would be worse off if the monarchy were abolished compared to nearly 45 per cent last month.
In 1990, the balance of opinion was more than six to one that the monarchy would survive for at least another 50 years. Half thought it would last at least a century, compared with one in five who disagreed. These figures have been reversed according to the Independent on Sunday/MORI poll which found that nearly half the public think there will be no monarchy in the year 2096, with only one in five believing the monarchy will survive until then.
The number saying the country would be better off if the monarchy were abolished has increased from 6 per cent in January 1990 to 17 per cent now. As many as 42 per cent believe it would make no difference in any scenario.
Among the 18 to 24 age group, a quarter think Britain would be better off without a monarchy, with a fifth saying it would be worse off.