11 reasons why some Brits don’t want Prince Charles to be king

Prince Charles is the longest-serving heir apparent in British history, but he hasn’t enjoyed great popularity with people since more private details about his marriage to Diana, Princess of Wales became public knowledge. One 2018 poll showed that the popularity of the man who is next in line to the throne is decreasing, while a recent Express poll revealed that people would prefer that other royals ascend to the throne. Harsh, we know, but it’s not completely without cause. These are the reasons why the British aren’t excited by the idea of Prince Charles becoming their new king.

Prince William, Duchess Kate, and their three children are adored in England. In fact, a survey by BMG Research reveals that nearly half of the British public wants Prince Charles to step aside and give the throne to his oldest son when Queen Elizabeth II passes away. Prince William and Duchess Kate have now been married for nearly a decade. The Atlantic calls them a “fairy tale,” with their picture-perfect family and their distinct lack of scandals. Plus, Prince William and Prince Harry are the most liked royals “since records began,” according to the Evening Standard, so, it makes sense that people want to see their most liked royal on the throne. That said, Prince Harry’s popularity may have taken a bit of hit since he and Meghan “stepped back” from their royal duties.

Princess Diana once said that she wanted to be the queen of people’s hearts, and that very much proved to be the case. It’s also a big reason many people don’t like her ex—they still haven’t forgiven him for how he treated Diana during their ill-fated marriage. Prince Charles publicly admitted that he started having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles in 1986 while he was still married to Princess Diana. He also treated Princess Diana poorly on a number of occasions. The public, who is still protective of Diana, seems to be unwilling to move past Charles’ past offences.

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The survey from BMG Research also revealed that only 20 per cent of people think Camilla should take the title of queen. Given that Prince Charles is now married to “the other woman,” that may also make people feel less inclined to get behind him as the reigning monarch. That said, even though the majority of people don’t like the idea of a Queen Camilla, they have warmed to her. The Guardian reports that the Duchess of Cornwall has won many people’s hearts by tirelessly working for her charities without a lot of fanfare. Although she is in a relationship that has been scrutinised like no other, she’s a private person and takes actions to guard her privacy whenever possible.

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If you peruse most of the best-selling books about the real life of the royals, you’ll see that Prince Charles isn’t exactly praised by biographers. Even those with a credible connection to the prince are quick to point out his flaws. For example, Tom Bower, the author of Rebel Prince, describes Prince Charles as being petulant and uncaring about the times when he causes harm. Some of his private rants and tantrums have been made public, further damaging his reputation.

Many Brits think that Prince Charles wouldn’t be a good king. The role of a reigning monarch is not one to be taken lightly by any means, and people fear that Prince Charles just doesn’t have what it takes to rise to the occasion. Whether because of his personality traits or capabilities or something else entirely, if people don’t have confidence that he will do a good job, it will be hard for them to get behind him.

If Prince Charles becomes the king, his reign is inevitably going to be far shorter than Queen Elizabeth’s time on the throne. While Prince Charles was three years old when he became the heir apparent, he is now 70. Queen Elizabeth became queen when she was 25 years old, and she turns 94 in April. The fact that Prince Charles will have such a shorter reign concerns some people. Why? Change on a grand scale can be scary, while consistency gives people a sense of what to expect.

Prince Charles doesn’t possess the charm and warmth that Princess Diana had. He comes across as aloof, and the New Yorker even described him as “a snob.” Although it may be unfair to compare Prince Charles to those who haven’t been raised to view protocol and proper behaviour as such a priority, the prince doesn’t always seem to be eager to relate to ordinary people. Prince William, on the other hand, has reached out to people much as his mother did, and he has a compassionate way about him. That is what many people want to see in a king.

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Although Prince Charles has taken a stand on important environmental issues such as sustainability and climate change, he has fallen pitifully short on animal-welfare issues. Whereas Prince Harry chose not to participate in a grouse hunt recently, Prince Charles has gone so far as to call fox hunting “romantic.” Animal rights is a growing topic of concern for Brits, so he is not going to win supporters by holding fast to those ideas—and being vocal about them.

Blame the British press or Charles’ self-created scandals over the years, but the more salacious or negative details of his life often get top billing. As mentioned, however, Charles has actually done a lot of good for the United Kingdom and has tried to make a difference. He has been outspoken about the need to protect the environment for much of his adult life, and he’s devoted a good deal of time to the many charities he started. These good deeds have been largely ignored or glossed over, however.