Ever since marrying Prince William in 2011, the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton) has been one of the most popular members of the royal family.

Before her death, Queen Elizabeth II almost always ranked as the most popular, but her granddaughter-in-law was never far behind. In the years since the queen’s death, Kate has often topped the lists in popularity. Now, though her position has changed as another royal has overtaken the princess’s top spot.

Read on to find out who that is and where some other British royal family members rank.

The royal who just beat out Kate as the most popular

The results of a new YouGov poll are in, and according to those results published by Radar Online, Kate is no longer the most popular royal. That honor now belongs to her husband, the Prince of Wales.

The poll shows 74% of Britons view William favorably, pushing him ahead of Kate for the first time in years. Just months ago, Kate was still ranked as Britain’s most popular royal, with William just behind her. One of the reasons it’s believed the future king has taken over the top spot is because of he stepped up and held things together when both his father and Kate were diagnosed with cancer in 2024.

Kate shared her shocking news with the world in a recorded message, revealing, “I underwent major abdominal surgery in London, and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy.”

The princess took a break from her royal duties for months as she continued her treatment.

A royal insider said, “Watching William juggle concern for Catherine with the added weight of royal duties made him seem more human. His mix of vulnerability and commitment resonated strongly with people.”

Another source close to the family added: “William has always been well-liked, but this year he’s shown a different side. With Catherine unable to take on as much, he has taken the lead, and people have connected with both his resilience and his openness.”

Who is the third most popular royal now?

So which royal came in third behind the Prince and Princess of Wales? That is King Charles’ sister, Princess Anne.

The princess has long been known as the hardest-working member of the family.

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams previously told Express: “The royal family carry out over 3,000 engagements annually and are attached to over 3,000 institutions. This represents a very significant link with the charitable sector … Princess Anne, who has connections with more than 300, invariably carries out the most engagements.”

Despite her strong work ethic and continued dedication to her patronages, Anne doesn’t garner as many headlines for that as some other royals do.

Moazzam Malik, who is the chief executive of Save the Children, said: “She’s low-key, self-effacing, and very committed. You can see she genuinely cares about Britain and the wider world.”

Tanya Curry, chief executive of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, of which Anne has been patron since 2008, added: “She’s incredibly kind, and her human approach comes across. You feel as though you’re talking to someone who really cares.”