The favourability ratings for the Prince and Princess of Wales are vastly superior to those posted by the King and Queen Consort.
Vancouver, BC [March 20, 2024] – By a 2-to-1 margin, Canadians would like to one day cast a ballot to select the country’s head of state, a new Research Co. poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative national sample, 46% of Canadians say that, thinking about Canada’s constitution, they would prefer to have an elected head of state, up two points since a similar Research Co. survey conducted in March 2023.
Just under one-in-four Canadians (23%, +4) would prefer for Canada to remain a monarchy, while 21% (-1) do not care either way and 10% (-5) are not sure.
“Support for the notion of electing Canada’s head of state is particularly high in Quebec (53%) and Alberta (50%),” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “At least two-in-five residents of Ontario (45%), British Columbia (43%), Atlantic Canada (41%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (40%) share the same view.”
More than half of Canadians (52%, +5) believe Canada will still be a monarchy two decades from now, while a third (33%, -3) think the country will have an elected head of state by then.
The favourability rating for King Charles III stands at 38% this month (+6), while one-in-four Canadians (25%, +3) express positive views on Queen Consort Camilla.
Four other members of the Royal Family—the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Prince and Princess of Wales—post higher ratings.
Just under half of Canadians have a favourable view of Prince Harry (48%, +2) while more than two-in-five feel the same way about Duchess Meghan (42%, +1). Majorities of Canadians continue to have a favourable opinion of both Prince William (54%, =) and Princess Kate (also 54%, =).
Half of Canadians (50%, =) say they would have preferred to see Prince William become King of the United Kingdom and the other 14 Commonwealth realms, including Canada, instead of his father.
Majorities of Women (53%), Canadians aged 35-to-54 (52%), Atlantic Canadians (56%) and British Columbians (55%) would have liked to see Prince William as monarch.
Canadians who express a desire for the monarchy to continue are more likely to have preferred William as King after Elizabeth II (60%) than those who yearn for an elected head of state (48%) or those do not care about the issue either way (49%).
Three-in-five Canadians (60%, -5) believe King Charles should advance the cause of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, while two thirds (68%, -2) want him to commit to reduce the carbon footprint of the entire Royal Family.
More than half of Canadians (52%, +2) say they have no problem with King Charles III being featured on coins and bills that will be used in Canada, while more than a third (37%, +2) disagree.
Methodology: Results are based on an online survey conducted from March 8 to March 10, 2024, among 1,002 adults in Canada. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region. The margin of error – which measures sample variability – is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Find our data tables here and download the press release here.
For more information on this poll, please contact:
Mario Canseco, President, Research Co.
778.929.0490
[e] mario.canseco@researchco.ca