75% Britons say Queen is good monarch; 43% say nation has 'changed for the worse' during reign
Three in four British people say that the Queen has been 'a good monarch' in terms of how she compares to past Kings and Queens of Britain, England and Scotland, our poll shows. Despite this, over two in five people believe that Britain has changed for the worse in the 60 years since Elizabeth II became Queen (however, when asked about people's individual lives, Britons do think that things have got better).
This year marks the Queen's 60th year as reigning monarch, and will see widespread celebrations in honour of the occasion including a procession up the River Thames.
- 50% say she is 'one of Britain’s greatest monarchs' and 25% believe that she is a good monarch but 'not among the greatest'
- 11% say she is an 'average monarch', 2% say she’s a 'poor monarch', and a further 2% go so far as to say she is a 'terrible monarch'
- 43% of people think Britain has 'changed for the worse' in the 60 years since she became Queen, 30% think Britain has 'changed for the better'
The role that the Queen plays today has come under renewed scrutiny as the Diamond Jubilee year gets underway.
Prime Minister David Cameron is a strong supporter of the monarchy, and has called the Queen a 'source of wisdom and continuity', stating that the monarch's Diamond Jubilee should celebrate her 'experience, dignity and quiet authority'.
Anthony Barnett of 'open democracy' campaigners OurKingdom has said 'I am aware that monarchs are just supposed to be seen but not heard, as they say... But as Heads of State they can also achieve without being political,' Barnett writes. 'The problem with the Queen is that she seems not to have done anything except like racehorses.'
See the survey details and full results here (page 11)
