Prince Charles To Face The Same Problem Harry Went Through When He Was Younger

As the longest-serving heir apparent, Prince Charles has long been preparing for the day he’ll take over the post currently held by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. When that day arrives, however, he will also be facing a tricky issue that his son, Prince Harry, once faced.

Simply put, the issue is one of negative public perception. While Prince Charles has polished his image over the years, he still can’t compare to Queen Elizabeth II in terms of popularity. The problem will start when Her Majesty passes away, as some of the popularity of the royal family as a whole will go away with her.

“The reality for the monarchy is that when the Queen dies one of the reasons for the monarchy’s popularity will be gone,” royal expert Tim Ewart spoke on Yahoo’s “The Royal Box.”

The reason for this, according to Ewart, is that the monarchy’s popularity with the public is tied to Her Majesty. “A large part of the popularity of the monarchy is based on the personal popularity of the Queen,” the royal expert added.

In a poll with 9,287 respondents, Prince Charles was ranked seventh in terms of popularity, behind his sons, William and Harry; behind his sons’ respective wives, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle; and even behind his father, Prince Philip. Meanwhile, the Queen usually ranks first or second in this kind of surveys.

Thankfully, the increased visibility of princes William and Harry helped buoy the popularity of the royal family. “I think what they have done is appeal very greatly to a younger generation which is what the Queen wanted,” Ewart noted.

Yet there was a time when Prince Harry had to deal with the same issue of negative public opinion, which Prince Charles will also have to deal with when he becomes king. In Harry’s younger days, he was perceived as not the responsible type and even got the nickname “Party Prince” for obvious reasons.

Yet it’s amazing just how a decade later Prince Harry’s public image has undergone a 180-degree transformation — he is now viewed as a responsible, doting father to Archie. It also helped that he served the Army for a decade and that he was the best man at Prince William and Kate’s wedding.

In a way, Prince Harry’s life story demonstrated the importance and relevance of the monarchy even in modern times. “Monarchy is an institution that can discipline people and shape them, so that they can fulfil their duty,” political philosopher Philip Blond said on BBC Radio 4’s “Beyond Belief” back in 2012.

“It’s a character-determining and shaping institution — just look at Prince Harry,” Blond added. “Look at how he was seen a few years ago and how he is seen now.”