Diana / Royal Family Poll, March 1998

MORI poll conducted for The Sun
  • MORI interviewed 1,000 adults aged 18+ across Great Britain.
  • Interviews were conducted by telephone on 5-8 March 1998.
  • Data are weighted to the profile of Great Britain.

Q1 Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way the Queen is doing her job as Monarch? Q2 Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way Prince Charles is doing his job as Prince of Wales?

  Q1 Q2
  % %
Satisfied 66 59
Dissatisfied 20 32
Don't know 13 10

Q3 Would you favour Britain becoming a republic or remaining a monarchy?

  %
Republic 19
Monarchy 74
Don't know 7

Q4 And if Prince William were to become the next monarch, would you favour Britain becoming a republic or remaining a monarchy?

  %
Republic 15
Monarchy 77
Don't know 8

Q5 Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Royal Family has handled the situation since the death of Princess Diana?

  %
Approve 58
Disapprove 31
Don't know 11

Q6 Following the death of Princess Diana, do you think the Royal Family should have done more to explain their feelings to the British people, less, or did they get it about right?

  %
More to explain feelings 51
Less to explain feelings 3
Got it about right 43
Don't know 4

Q7-12 Since the death of Princess Diana six months ago, would you say your overall impression of ... has become more favourable, less favourable, or has it made no difference to the way that you feel?

  More favourable Less favourable Made no difference Don't know
  % % % %
Q7 The Royal family as a whole 19 20 60 1
Q8 Prince Charles 29 18 51 2
Q9 The Queen 23 17 60 1
Q10 Prince William 38 1 55 6
Q11 Camilla Parker-Bowles 4 25 64 7
Q12 Earl Spencer 19 34 42 5

Q13 Did you sign a book of condolence for Princess Diana, either in London or elsewhere?

  %
Yes, signed 24
No, not signed 76
Can't remember / don't know *

Q14 And did you leave a floral tribute to Princess Diana?

  %
Yes, left 14
No, did not leave 85
Can't remember / don't know *

Q15 Did you watch or listen to the funeral of Princess Diana? IF YES: And did you ... ?

  %
Yes, watched funeral on television 88
Yes, watched funeral at public screening 1
Yes, listened to funeral on radio 2
No, did not watch / listen to funeral 9
Don't know 0

Q16 Would you say the death of Diana and the events since her death have made you feel ...

  %
More charitable towards others 21
Less charitable towards others *
or has it made no difference to the way that you feel 78
Don't know 1

Q17 (And) has it made you ...

  %
More proud to be British 19
Less proud to be British 4
or has it made no difference to the way that you feel 76
Don't know 1

Q18 (And) has it made you ..

  %
More confident that Charles would make a good king 19
Less confident that Charles would make a good king 23
or has it made no difference to the way that you feel 57
Don't know 2

Q19 On balance, do you think Prince Charles is doing a good job or a bad job of bringing up Princes William and Harry?

  %
Good job 64
Bad job 10
Don't know 25

Q20 How upset would you say you felt in September about Princess Diana's death? Would you describe yourself as ... Q21 And how upset would you say you feel now about Princess Diana's death? Would you describe yourself as ...

  Q20 Q21
  % %
Very upset 41 17
Fairly upset 38 32
Not very upset 13 26
Not upset at all 7 24
Don't know 1 2

Q22 Why do you say that you felt upset about Diana's death? Base: All upset in September (786)

  %
She was a good person / did good work 42
Death of a young person 35
It was a shocking / terrible accident 33
Death of a mother / felt sorry for her sons 21
Will be a loss to the charities she worked for 17
Death of an important national figure 16
She publicised / worked on issues I care about 10
Moved by the funeral 7
Regarded her as a friend / feel a personal loss 5
Blow for the Royal family 5
Other 6
Don't know 2

Q23-28 I am going to read out a number of ways that have been suggested for commemorating Princess Diana's life. Please tell me whether you support or oppose each idea?

  Support Oppose Don't know
  % % %
Q23 Build a children's hospital 92 7 1
Q24 Name a special day after her 46 49 5
Q25 Dedicate the Millennium Dome to her 28 68 5
Q26 Reinstate her HRH title 38 54 8
Q27 Diana Award for charity works like Nobel Prize 78 19 3
Q28 Introduce a special coin commemorating Princess Diana 51 44 6

Q29 Have you made, or do you plan to make a donation to the Princess Diana Memorial Fund?

  %
Yes, made donation 27
Yes, plan to make donation 17
No 52
Don't know 4

Q30 Which of the following people do you think is most likely to ensure that Diana's life is commemorated in the most appropriate way? Q31 And who do you think should take the leading role in decisions about how Prince William and Prince Harry should be brought up?

  Q30 Q31
  % %
Prince Charles 9 72
The Queen 7 3
Earl Spencer 29 9
Tony Blair 18 2
Frances Shand Kydd, Princess Diana's mother 10 7
None of them 19 4
Don't know 7 3

Q32 Do you think Princess Diana was right or wrong to state in her will that her mother should play a role in the way Princes' William and Harry are brought up?

  %
Right 73
Wrong 19
Don't know 8

Q33 As you may know, Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, will be opening a museum at Althorpe House to commemorate Diana's life. How likely are you to visit the museum at some point in the future?

  %
Certain to visit 2
Very likely to visit 8
Fairly likely to visit 14
Fairly unlikely to visit 18
Very unlikely to visit 28
Certain not to visit 29
Don't know 1

Q34-36 I am going to read out some statements about Princess Diana. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with each one.

  Agree Disagree Don't know
  % % %
Q34 Since the death of Princess Diana, Britain has become a more caring nation 42 52 5
Q35 The public reaction to the death of Princess Diana has encouraged the Royal Family to modernise the way it carries out its duties 83 15 2
Q36 On hearing of Diana's death, I felt I had lost a close personal friend 28 70 1

Q37 How much blame, if any, do you think the British media share in Princess Diana's death?

  %
Great deal 25
Fair amount 31
Just a little 22
None at all 18
Don't know 4

Q38 The French Police are still investigating the car crash that killed Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed. From what you know, or have heard, do you think they have done a good job, or a bad job of investigating the car crash?

  %
Good job 27
Bad job 49
Don't know 23

Q39 As you may know, some people have put forward conspiracy theories behind the car crash that killed Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed. Do you believe that there was a conspiracy to kill Princess Diana, or do you believe it was an accident?

  %
Believe conspiracy theories 20
Believe accident 66
Don't know 14

Q40 As you may know, Dodi Al Fayed's father, Mohammed Al Fayed, the owner of Harrods, has applied for British Citizenship. Do you think he should be granted British Citizenship, or not?

  %
Granted British Citizenship 51
Not granted British Citizenship 32
Don't know 17

Q41 Did you approve or disapprove of Princess Diana's relationship with Dodi Al Fayed?

  %
Approve 56
Disapprove 11
Neither 31
Don't know 2

Q42 Now thinking about the relationship between Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles, do you think ... ?

  %
They should continue their relationship privately, 40
be completely public about it 31
or split up 16
Don't know 12

Q43-44 Assuming they do stay together, do you think ... ?

Q43 %
They should get married 33
or continue their relationship outside marriage 32
Neither/don't know 35
Q44 %
Camilla should 37
or should not be allowed to live with Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace or other royal residences 45
Neither/don't know 18

Q45 If Prince Charles were to marry Camilla Parker-Bowles, do you think he should still be allowed to become King, or not?

  %
Should 45
Should not 49
Don't know 6

Q46 And do you think Camilla should become Queen at his side?

  %
Yes 14
No 82
Don't know 5

Technical details

This volume contains a survey among the general public on behalf of The Sun. MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 1,000 adults aged 18+. Interviews were carried out by telephone throughout Great Britain. Interviewing took place on 5-8 March 1998. Data are weighted to the known profile of Great Britain. Where percentages do not add up to exactly 100% this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of don't knows or to multiple answers. An asterisk (*) indicates a figure below one half of a percent.

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