A survey conducted by market research firm Redfield & Wilton for the US magazine Newsweek on February 19 showed that the popularity of Harry and Meghan has dropped sharply after the royal couple escaped being mocked in the popular animated series South Park .
Since December last year, Harry and Meghan have lost 48 and 40 points of support from the American people, respectively, sending their approval ratings to record negative levels of -10 and -17. This figure is even lower than the level that Prince Andrew received, which is -2. For many years, King Charles’ younger brother has been shunned by the media and public opinion due to allegations of sexual assault of minors.
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| American support for Harry and Meghan fell to a record low in February. Photo: Shutterstock. |
However, according to Newsweek , this survey result may be due to Americans’ lack of interest in Prince Andrew. The clearest evidence is that among those surveyed, 32% said they had no comments about the Duke of York, 13% answered “don’t know”. Thus, 45% of respondents were completely indifferent to Andrew, overwhelmingly compared to 26% who commented positively and 28% who hated him. This data is completely opposite to the British people’s views of him. According to a survey by YouGov in January, 86% felt negative towards Andrew, only 7% felt positive.
Meanwhile, according to a survey by Redfield & Wilton, Prince Harry received 32% love, 42% disapprove, 18% neither hate nor like, and 7% had no answer; Meghan only had 27% love, 44% hate, 20% have no feelings towards her, and 8% had no opinion.
It is a well-known fact that in America, Harry and Meghan are more popular than Andrew. With their popularity comes increased hostility. The documentary Harry & Meghan and the memoir Spare , along with the intervention of major media outlets, have made the Sussexes the center of global discussion, including in the United States.
In 2021, when they participated in a television interview with Oprah Winfrey, Harry and Meghan received great support from Americans. They were praised as people who dared to confront the system to fight for freedom and injustice, symbols of anti-racism.
However, public opinion has changed. Telling too much, badmouthing the family and appearing too frequently does not create novelty or interest from the public, on the contrary, it makes them feel disgusted and bored.
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| The constant media exposure and excessive exploitation of Harry and Meghan’s private lives have made them disliked. Photo: WireImage. |
The latest manifestation of Americans’ negative attitudes toward foreign visitors was the February 15 episode of South Park , the animated satire that has been popular for nearly 30 years for its ability to capture the pulse of American culture.
Titled A Private Tour of the World , though not explicitly named, the two central characters in the episode clearly depict Harry and Meghan, from their “prince and princess” titles to their looks and outfits. They are built into idiots, going around shouting about privacy and promoting the prince’s new book.
A source close to Meghan said she was “shocked and upset” after watching the episode, while a royal commentator said the Sussexes’ legal team were “keeping a close eye” on the animated film.
However, a spokesperson for Harry told Newsweek there are no plans to produce South Park , calling the speculation “boring and baseless.”
The media and the public are now watching the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. They are in a dilemma: saying too much to reconcile with their family in England, while running out of “hidden” stories to pique the interest of Americans. It seems that the American dream is getting further and further out of reach for the noisy couple.