SUPPORT for the monarchy in the UK has fallen below 50% amid the most recent scandal involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his relationship with the pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The survey carried out by Savanta, on behalf of the campaign group Republic, showed that just 45% of the public back keeping the royal family.
When asked if they would prefer for the UK to have a monarchy or an elected head of state, almost a third (32%) of the 2000 participants said they would rather have an elected head of state.
It comes after it emerged that police are assessing claims that Andrew shared confidential reports from his role as the UK’s trade envoy with Epstein.
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Emails released by the US Department of Justice earlier this month appear to show the former duke sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Singapore in his capacity as trade envoy in late 2010 with Epstein.
Andrew also looped Epstein in on a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Helmand Province, Afghanistan, on Christmas Eve 2010
Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy campaign group Republic, reported the allegations to police over the weekend.
Smith added that the latest revelations of the former duke’s relationship with Epstein have unsurprisingly had a damaging effect on the monarch’s popularity, given the “gravity of accusations” against Andrew.
“The monarchy is losing its one claim to legitimacy, opinion poll ratings. The trend across most polling is declining support, and this poll shows how low that support has gone,” Smith said.
“Falling support is unsurprising given the gravity of accusations against Andrew, and increasing concern William and Charles have known about and covered up these issues for two decades.
“The royals are trapped. Their silence begs more questions about what they knew and when. Answering those questions will likely lead to more outrage and more questions about the monarchy's future.”
Andrew has previously denied any wrongdoing over his Epstein links but has not directly responded to the latest allegations.
On Monday, Thames Valley Police confirmed they were assessing the fresh allegations.
It comes after the force last week said it was assessing allegations that a woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew in 2010.
The messages regarding official visits are dated after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
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Andrew previously told BBC’s Newsnight in 2019 he had cut off contact with the convicted paedophile in December 2010 during a visit to New York.
On February 9 2011, Andrew told Epstein he had visited a private equity firm the week before and “thought of you” as the financier, who was reportedly “looking for somewhere for money to go”.
Official government guidance highlights that the role of a trade envoy carries a duty of confidentiality regarding sensitive information.
Smith added that the poll shows the “urgent need for a serious and honest” debate about a post-monarchy Britain.
“Too many people are unsure of the alternative, too many people see little of the royals except the royalist coverage and soft-soap reporting.
“The monarchy is not going to reverse this trend of falling support. The late queen was the one person keeping this creaking institution going. Even her legacy is now being tainted by the Andrew scandal.
“It's time the nation started looking to a future without the monarchy, and the opportunities for democratic reform and national renewal that change offers.”
Savanta interviewed 2132 UK adults aged 18+ online between February 6 to 9, 2026.
