Gen Z Prefers Meghan Markle to Prince Harry

Meghan Markle is more popular among young Americans than Prince Harry after years in which the couple have targeted Gen Z, according to exclusive polling for Newsweek.

The Duchess of Sussex was liked by 42 percent of U.S. 18 to 24 year olds and disliked by 27 percent, giving her a net approval rating of +15.

And her popularity with this age group outstrips Prince Harry's, though the Duke of Sussex is more popular overall, according to a representative sample of 1,500 American adults surveyed by Redfield & Wilton on May 17 on behalf of Newsweek.

Harry was liked by 38 percent of U.S. 18 to 24 year olds and and disliked by 29 percent, giving him a net approval rating of +9, six points lower than Meghan's.

The figures come after a roller coaster six months for the couple, which saw their standing with the U.S. public crash over the New Year after a publicity blitz for their Netflix series Harry & Meghan and the duke's book Spare.

The prince initially dropped 45 points and the duchess 36 points from December 5, 2022, to January 16, 2023, according to polling by Redfield & Wilton for Newsweek.

However, they have rallied since then, with both Harry and Meghan now back in positive numbers overall for the first time.

Across all U.S. adults, Harry was liked by 42 percent and disliked by 27 percent, giving him a net approval rating of +15.

Meghan was liked by 39 percent and disliked by 34 percent giving her a net approval rating of +5.

The survey was taken on May 17, the day after Meghan was accompanied by Harry and her mother Doria Ragland to New York to collect a Women of Vision award at Ziegfeld Ballroom.

Meghan glowed in a gold gown by Johanna Ortiz and told the audience about the power of service during her acceptance speech at the Ms. Foundation gala.

In footage posted on Twitter, she said: "You can be the visionary of your own life."

"You can charter a path in which what you repeat in your daily acts of service," she continued. "In kindness, in advocacy, in grace and in fairness—that those become the very things that are recognized by the next wave of women, both young and old, who will also choose this moment to join the movement and make our vision for an equitable world reality."

However, after the ceremony the couple were followed around Manhattan by paparazzi photographers during a two-hour ordeal which they revealed in a dramatic statement on May 17.

In the hours that followed, the NYPD, New York mayor and a taxi driver who briefly drove them played down their description of a "near catastrophic" chase that could have been fatal.

However, the debate may have had only a limited impact on the results of the polling, at least some of which will likely have been done before the drama became public knowledge.

A statement by the Sussex camp read: "Last night the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Ms. Ragland were involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi.

"This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD officers. While being a public figure comes with a level of interest from the public, it should never come at the cost of anyone's safety."

Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.