YouGov’s data shows Barack Obama’s claim to be at least partly untrue
President Obama joked during a sit down with Prince Charles at the White House yesterday that Americans like the Royal family more than US politicians. “I think it’s fair to say that the American people are quite fond of the royal family,” the president told the heir to the British throne. He added: “They like them much more than they like their own politicians.”
Is this true? Well, it depends on the politician – and the royal.
YouGov most recently asked Americans whether they liked members of the British royal family in April 2011, ahead of the royal wedding. Then, 24% of Americans had a positive opinion of Charles, while 37% had a negative opinion of him, for a net rating of -13* (40% were either undecided, or didn’t know enough about him to have an opinion). Camilla, who also attended the Oval Office meeting, received a net rating of -28.
YouGov tracks the personal ratings of US politicians weekly, and in the latest poll on President Obama finds that 49% view him in a favorable light and 48% in an unfavourable light, meaning he is better liked than Charles in overall numbers and in net terms, where he gets a +1 rating. So, present company included, Obama’s claim about US public opinion is untrue.
However, as can be seen in the table below, Barack Obama is exceptionally popular among US politicians. And Prince Charles is exceptionally unpopular among British royals.
| Royals / US politicians | Favorable | Unfavorable | Net favorability | |
| Prince William | 52 | 8 | +44 | |
| Kate Middleton | 46 | 8 | +38 | |
| Prince Harry | 47 | 10 | +37 | |
| Queen Elizabeth | 48 | 13 | +35 | |
| Barack Obama | 49 | 48 | +1 | |
| Hillary Clinton | 47 | 48 | -1 | |
| Prince Charles | 24 | 37 | -13 | |
| Jeb Bush | 33 | 49 | -16 | |
| Nancy Pelosi | 32 | 49 | -17 | |
| Harry Reid | 24 | 44 | -20 | |
| Mitch McConnell | 22 | 43 | -21 | |
| Camilla | 11 | 39 | -28 | |
| John Boehner | 23 | 53 | -30 | |
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In America, only Hillary Clinton, with a net rating of -1, comes close to Obama. The congressional leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties (Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid in the Senate; John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi in the House of Representatives) and potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush do worse than nearly every British royal – including Prince Charles, but with the exception of Camilla.
* It’s possible US opinions about Prince Charles have improved since 2011, as they have in Britain, but he and his wife would have to revive their images quite a bit to be above water.
