CELEBRITY
William’s popularity is so potent that he’s polled much higher among Americans than the country’s own heavyweight public figures, despite the country having their own British prince on home soil.
William’s rankings were no doubt a result of the success of his tour of the Big Apple in September 2023 to promote his Earthshot Prize, as William was met by hundreds of adoring fans as he toured the States.
The two-day trip saw the heir to the throne making an emotional visit to a New York firehouse, and even cracking jokes with a ‘rowdy’ bunch of 60-year-olds after his run through Central Park.
And according to Vanity Fair’s Katie Nicholl, the prince and his aides consider the trip ‘really successful’, making the father-of-three ‘quietly delighted’ of his warm reception from the city. On the other hand, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to be putting off Americans with their ‘endless moans’ and ‘attacks’ on the Royal Family, a royal expert has claimed.
After the Duke and Duchess of Sussex dramatically moved across the pond after quitting as senior royals and leaving Britain in January 2020, the couple have starred in a Netflix docuseries, launched a controversial new website, released a book and held explosive interviews about the Royal Family. In a bid to branch out to the celebrity world, the Sussexes are often seen making appearances at glitzy events, including the ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ premiere in Jamaica in January.
But they were branded ‘insensitive’ for posing on the red carpet with Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who wants to ditch the monarchy. Last month, Harry said King Charles’s cancer diagnosis could have a ‘reunifying effect’ on the family. He made a transatlantic dash to see his father at Clarence House on February 6 but they only met for around 45 minutes.
There had been reports that Harry was willing to return to a temporary royal role to help out the slimmed down monarchy, with Princess Kate also recovering from abdominal surgery. But palace aides later said there was ‘no way back’ for Harry. Speaking about Harry and Meghan’s time since leaving Britain, royal author Angela Levin said even Americans are getting fed up with the couple’s ‘hypocrisy’ and whinging.