A new survey has suggested that support for the Royal Family is dwindling amid the ongoing Epstein scandal that has prompted Buckingham Palace to issue an unprecedented statement that the Royals will support the police if approached
King Charles and Prince William pictured alongside Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (Image: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publis)
Support among Brits for the Royal Family has dropped significantly amid the ongoing allegations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, a new poll has revealed.
The proportion of the British public in favour of the monarchy has dropped to 45%, according to the survey commissioned by the anti-monarchy campaign group Republic. Support had previously been at 48% four months earlier.
It comes as Thames Valley Police confirmed it was assessing suggestions that the King’s brother shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The new allegations emerged among the tranche of three million documents made public by the US department of justice relating to Epstein.
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been subject to scrutiny over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein (Image: PA Wire)
Buckingham Palace said on Monday that the King had made clear his “profound concern” at allegations about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct and the Palace will “stand ready to support” the police if approached over fresh claims.
There are also claims that a second woman was sent to the UK by paedophile Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew, and that the former prince and Epstein asked an exotic dancer for a threesome in the latter’s Florida home. Andrew has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
The latest research by Savanta on British support for the Royal Family was carried out over the weekend before the Palace’s comments and showed that those who would prefer an elected head of state remained at 32%, but those who did not know had risen from 20% to 24% since October.
Jeffrey Epstein’s links to the Royal Family have put extra scrutiny on the monarchy(Image: Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
The Prince and Princess of Wales meanwhile publicly addressed the Epstein scandal for the first time on Monday, with Kensington Palace saying they were “deeply concerned” at the “continued revelations” and that their thoughts “remain focused on the victims”.
The King was heckled on an away day to Lancashire when a man shouted “How long have you known about Andrew?” after he arrived at Clitheroe train station.
Republic’s chief executive Graham Smith, who reported Andrew to Thames Valley Police over the trade envoy allegations, said: “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.
“Falling support is unsurprising given the gravity of accusations against Andrew.” He stressed the “urgent need” for a “serious and honest debate” about a post-monarchy Britain.
King Charles visited Clitheroe on Monday(Image: PA)
Mr 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.”
The poll asked more than 2,100 adults “What would you prefer for the UK: a monarchy or an elected head of state?” Savanta’s previous research was carried out shortly after Andrew agreed to stop publicly using his royal titles and honours in October 2025 and before the King stripped him of his right to be a prince and removed his dukedom.
Andrew moved out of his Royal Lodge mansion last week and relocated to Norfolk to a property on the King’s Sandringham estate.