Prince William and Kate Middleton Wedding Spikes Interest in Monarchy in Canada
Not only did the news of Prince William and Kate Middleton soon to come wedding traveled to every corner of the world, it also proved to be quite a PR boost for the monarchy not only in Britain, but also in Canada. The ceremony scheduled for April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey, has rekindled the interest in the institution of monarchy and the life of the royal family for Canadians who now talk about the wedding itself and who should be the next king of the UK, yet the majority still believes the future UK monarch should play no role in Canada’s actual ruling.
The results of a poll conducted exclusively for Postmedia News and Global Television on over 1,000 respondents show Canadians are enjoying a “honeymoon” period triggered by the developing royal romance. They also have a strong opinion on who should rule next – a majority of 55 percent think Prince Charles should abdicate in favour of William, a shift in opinion showing a 12 percent increase for Team Prince William if compared with last year’s results.
“There could be a lot of positive public relations value to the brand of the monarchy from Wills and Kate,” says John Wright, senior vice-president of Ipsos Reid.
The much hyped up romance of William and Kate has generated a slight improvement in overall attitudes toward the monarchy in Canada. 53 percent currently think Canada should sever its ties with the monarchy when Queen Elizabeth’s reign ends, 5 percent less than a year ago. Another 61 percent of Canadians believe the monarchy should not have any formal role in Canadian society, considering them to be “simply celebrities and nothing more.” The percentage is even higher among Quebecers, of which 74% share the same opinion.
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While they might not be fans of the royal family residing in UK, Canadians still regard the constitutional monarchy as a defining part of their society and way of life. 57 percent of Canadians say the constitutional monarchy “helps to define Canadian identity,” bu only 37 percent of Quebecers agree.
“Most people, except for those in the province of Quebec, believe that it helps define Canada, but really it’s English Canada,” Wright said.
The majority of Canadians recognizes the merits of Queen Elizabeth, agreeing she has done a good job as monarch, yet 56 percent still would prefer their Governor General as head of state.
