The British monarch, King Charles, has faced an unexpected situation after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sent shockwaves through Britain with their surprise move. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's quiet decision quickly turned into a storm of headlines, leaving Britons to revisit their opinion about the King.
The 75-year-old has suffered a major blow in his own country as his popularity slumps to the lowest level of his reign. On the latest episode of Palace Confidential, Richard Eden and a panel of royal experts responded to the update that the British monarch's favourability polling has alarmingly dropped.
Eden suggested the monarch's popularity is being dragged down by the former senior working royals' return to British shores. Since arriving back in August, the Sussexes have dominated the headlines, and their official status as non-working royals has done little to stop them from staging what the expert calls 'quasi-royal' engagements of their own.
"I think the King's ratings are suffering because of Harry and Meghan's return," shared Eden. "I'm sorry, I know this might not be a popular thing to say in some quarters, but I think they have damaged his reputation.
That's because he hasn't dealt with the issue. He's seemingly welcomed them back, and they are not popular."
"In my opinion, his popularity would be boosted if he took action to strip Harry and Meghan of their titles." Weighing in on the debate, Charlotte Griffiths said the problem lies particularly with Meghan, who she believes struggles to come across as "normal and relatable" despite her best efforts.
"The With Love, Meghan series was meant to make her seem like a down-to-earth, homely mum. All these reinventions just aren't helping her at all.
The only thing I think might help her is that people do have some sympathy for her with what she's going through with her father." Meghan's estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr., has been investigated by police in the Philippines and the FBI over allegations that he possessed child sex abuse images.
He has denied the claims, calling them 'sick lies', and no charges have been brought. Eden added that the couple could still turn things around.
A public apology to the royal family, particularly to William and Catherine, for the hurt they have caused could go some way to repairing the Sussexes' standing with the British people, he said. According to the latest YouGov survey, the King's favourability among the British public has dropped four points since July, to 58 per cent.
Harry and Meghan's ratings also fell, with the Prince's down four points to 29 per cent and Meghan's sinking to a record low; just 20 per cent of the public view Meghan favourably, while 68 per cent view her unfavourably. That gives her a net score of minus 48, the lowest YouGov has ever recorded for her.