Monarchy Support Drops to 45% Amid Andrew Epstein Scandal Fallout
Public support for the British monarchy has fallen significantly to just 45% following the ongoing revelations about Prince Andrew in the recently released Epstein files. According to a new poll commissioned by the anti-monarchy group Republic, backing for the Royal Family has dropped three percentage points from 48% over the last four months, reflecting growing public concern about the scandal's implications.
Polling Reveals Shifting Public Sentiment
The research, conducted by Savanta over the weekend, surveyed more than 2,100 adults across the United Kingdom. When asked "What would you prefer for the UK: a monarchy or an elected head of state?", 32% of respondents expressed preference for an elected head of state, maintaining the same level as four months ago. However, the number of undecided respondents has increased from 20% to 24% since October 2025, indicating growing uncertainty about the institution's future.
The timing of this poll is particularly significant, as it was conducted during the same weekend that the Royal Family made renewed attempts to distance themselves from Prince Andrew. This comes after the previous poll in October 2025, which followed Andrew's agreement to stop publicly using his royal titles and honours, but preceded the King's decision to strip him of his princely status.
Royal Family's Response to Growing Crisis
The Prince and Princess of Wales broke their silence with what has been described as an unprecedented statement regarding the Epstein scandal. A spokesperson for the couple confirmed they have been "deeply concerned by the continuing revelations" and that their "thoughts remain focused on the victims." This statement was issued as Prince William was en route to Saudi Arabia for a three-day tour of the Middle Eastern country.
Meanwhile, King Charles faced direct public questioning about the scandal during a visit to Clitheroe, where he was heckled by a member of the public who shouted: "How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein?" While most of the crowd turned around and booed the heckler, the incident highlighted the monarchy's growing public relations crisis. The King has expressed his "profound concern" about the allegations against his brother and stated he is "ready to support" police investigations.
New Allegations and Police Investigations
The latest revelations from the Epstein files have triggered multiple police investigations and fresh allegations against the former Duke of York:
- Thames Valley police confirmed they are probing claims that Andrew shared confidential reports with Jeffrey Epstein during his tenure as the UK's trade envoy
- Emails from the Epstein files appear to show Andrew shared confidential details of investment opportunities and trade visit reports with the convicted paedophile financier
- A fresh police investigation is examining reports that Epstein allegedly sent a second woman to have a sexual encounter with Andrew at the Royal Lodge in 2010
- Images released by the US Department of Justice appear to show Andrew crouching over an unidentified woman in what seems to be Epstein's New York mansion
- A letter in the Epstein files claims Andrew asked an exotic dancer for a threesome
Andrew has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing, including those from Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's most prominent sex trafficking victims, who accused him of assaulting her on three occasions when she was 17. Although Andrew settled her lawsuit out of court for an undisclosed sum in 2021, he has repeatedly denied her claims.
Institutional Crisis and Calls for Reform
Graham Smith, Republic's chief executive who reported Andrew to police over the trade envoy allegations, stated: "The monarchy is losing its one claim to legitimacy: opinion poll ratings. The trend across most polling is declining support, and this poll shows how low that support has gone." He emphasised that "falling support is unsurprising given the gravity of accusations against Andrew" and stressed the "urgent need" for a "serious and honest debate" about a post-monarchy Britain.
Smith added: "The monarchy is not going to reverse this trend of falling support. The late queen was the one person keeping this creaking institution going. Even her legacy is now being tainted by the Andrew scandal." This assessment reflects growing concerns about the institution's ability to withstand the ongoing crisis and maintain public confidence in the face of damaging revelations.
The combination of new evidence from the Epstein files, ongoing police investigations, and direct public challenges to the monarchy during royal engagements has created what many observers consider the most serious crisis for the institution in decades. As support continues to decline and uncertainty grows, the Royal Family faces mounting pressure to address both the immediate scandal and broader questions about its future role in British society.
