The majority of Britons say that by the year 2070 they’ll work into their 70s and chat with computers – but Scottish independence is about as likely as astronauts landing on Mars
Going by current trends, George Louis Alexander – the child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - is most likely to ascend to the British throne around the year 2070. But what will his kingdom be like? New research by YouGov finds the British public think they’ll be working as long as the current Queen and talking to computers, but less than half predict independence for Scotland.
The most popular thing to happen in the future is not bright: 83% of British adults predict people will have to work into their 70s. Additionally, 71% predict a major energy crisis.
Medically, 68% say there will be a cure for AIDS and 52% a cure for cancer. And technologically, 60% think hardly any fossil fuels will be used for energy while 58% say artificial limbs will have been created that work better than natural ones.
The Scottish National Party wants an independent Scotland to retain the British monarchy, but to the British public it does not look like they will get the choice: only 49% say that by the time of King George VII’s reign the union will be divided - just 1% more than who say astronauts will have landed on Mars (48%).
And despite recent sporting victories, only 28% predict that England will have won the world cup by 2070, over a century since their last victory. The same amount (28%) think there will have been another world war which, according to a speech prepared for the Queen that was released today, Britain has been preparing for since at least 1983.
