A third of Britons would support Prince Harry returning to Royal duties on a permanent basis, an exclusive poll for The Mail on Sunday has revealed.
This represents a significant increase over the past six months – and suggests that the Duke of Sussex, who is 40 today, has managed to turn the tide of public opinion.
While more than 60 per cent of the public are still opposed to or undecided about a comeback, the Prince has seen his backing grow from 25 per cent in March to 34 per cent this month, according to Ipsos.
It’s a rise of 36 per cent, indicating that Harry’s more conciliatory approach to the Royal Family this year is beginning to pay off as he looks to strengthen ties back in Britain.
He returned to the UK without controversy in May to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games and in August for his uncle Lord Robert Fellowes’s memorial service. In an apparent olive branch to the Royal Family, he said last month that the paperback edition of his memoir Spare would not be updated with new ‘truth bombs’.
Royal author Margaret Holder said: ‘The fact Harry has not continued with the grievance industry is helpful. His work on Invictus is popular and his tours to Nigeria and Colombia may have played well with the public. He has not apologised, at least not in public, and there will be some who never forget his attacks, but he does appear to be keeping on the straight and narrow.’
The Mail on Sunday – which recently revealed that Harry has been receiving advice from former friends and aides as he seeks to visit the UK more often – can also disclose he has held brainstorming sessions with British associates, exploring ideas for ‘positive change’ in his life.
The long-distance conversations, aimed at laying the foundations for future ‘big plans’, took place from his home in California.
One person he has been regularly talking to for guidance is Nick Loughran, the right-hand man of his old friend, Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster.
Mr Loughran is a former senior media adviser at Kensington Palace whose wife works for the Sussexes’ Archewell charity. He met Harry in May when the Prince was in the UK and the two have kept in contact as Harry seeks a path back to public popularity.
It is understood that Mr Loughran does not wish to take sides between the warring brothers and was believed to be pivotal in the decision that Harry should not attend the Duke of Westminster’s June wedding, allowing William to attend as an usher without their feud overshadowing the day.
A well-placed source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Harry values Nick’s informal guidance on forward-looking, positive stuff.’
The MoS can also reveal that Harry maintains contact with Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, a former equerry to the Queen Mother, who served as Prince William and Harry’s private secretary from 2005 to 2013, as well as former Royal advisor Ed Lane Fox, who led the recovery of Harry’s public image in 2012 when naked pictures of him were leaked.
A source said the Prince’s recent meetings are a further indication that he is ‘re-engaging in his former life’, adding, ‘the ball is in Harry’s court now’.
Meanwhile, the Prince, who inherits a multi-million pound windfall from the Queen Mother today, is celebrating his milestone birthday at home in California.
As for the wider Royal Family, the poll found that 56 per cent believe King Charles is doing a good job – the same figure as in April – while less than a quarter want a republic. Biographer Hugo Vickers said: ‘It is good news for the King that his rating is stable, yet frankly I am surprised it is not higher. He has shown great courage facing his illness and doing the best job he can under quite difficult circumstances.’
The study, which surveyed 1,097 British adults between 6 and 9 September, showed opinion on the Royals has remained largely constant since April.
The Princess of Wales is still the most popular, with 66 per cent of the public having a favourable view of her, followed by the Prince of Wales at 65 per cent. Princess Anne, who swiftly returned to work after a head injury in June, continues to be the third most popular Royal at 62 per cent.
Queen Camilla is at 41 per cent, higher than her 38 per cent around the Coronation in May 2023.
Since April, Meghan Markle has dropped from 25 per cent to 21 per cent favourability, just slightly higher than after Spare’s release, when it dropped to 19 per cent.
Prince Andrew remains the least popular Royal with just 11 per cent support.