NEWS30 April 2024

British Social Attitudes survey records historic low in support for monarchy

News Trends UK

UK – Public support for the British monarchy has declined to its lowest level since 1983, according to data from the British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen).

buckingham palace

The majority of the public supports the monarchy, with over half ( 54%) of people in Britain reported that it is ‘very’ or ‘quite important’ for Britain to have a monarchy, according to the most recent annual survey, conducted in autumn 2023.

This figure, published yesterday ( 29th April), is the lowest proportion to be recorded by the survey since the survey began in 1983, when 86% said that it was important for Britain to have a monarchy.

The survey asks respondents: “How important or unimportant do you think it is for Britain to continue to have a monarchy...very important, quite important, not very important, not at all important, or do you think the monarchy should be abolished?”

There has been a decline in support for the monarchy over the past decade, according to the BSA survey, with a temporary reversal recorded after the death of HM The Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.

Gillian Prior, deputy chief executive at the National Centre for Social Research, adds: “NatCen has been collecting data on the public’s attitudes towards the monarchy for over 40 years, and it is clear we are observing a downward trend in support for the monarchy. Although the majority of the public still supports the monarchy, our latest British Social Attitudes survey shows the highest percentage yet, with 16% saying the monarchy should be abolished.

“Support for the monarchy continues to be higher among older people than younger, although the gap has narrowed. There is a continuing challenge for the monarchy to maintain favourability with the British public of all ages.”

The 2023 BSA survey consisted of 5,578 interviews with a representative, random sample of adults in Britain and was conducted between 12th September and 31st October 2023. 

@RESEARCH LIVE

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