In the first of our five-part series chronicling your thoughts on the forthcoming Diamond Jubilee, we ask: How important (or not) is the monarchy in modern Britain?

A greater number of 18-24 year-olds now want an elected head of state rather than a monarchy, with attitudes shifting significantly in recent years

With the Jubilee marking 70 years on the throne for the Queen, YouGov looks at the British public’s attitude to the monarchy: past, present and future

As the Queen becomes Britain's longest-reigning monarch, new research shows that the monarchy remains popular across all parts of British society

Ethnic minority Britons are divided about the monarchy in terms of its overall image and the future

66% want Elizabeth II to remain Monarch; The Queen voted more popular than Politicians

Young people continue to be far less likely to approve of the institution than their elders

Royal weddings are a chance for everyone to have a party. Arch-monarchists can take to the streets (that’s to say, they can throw street parties), wave their little flags and swear undying loyalty to the Queen and her offspring. Fierce republicans can counter with anti-parties in which the television coverage from Westminster Abbey is switched off and the toasts are drunk to Oliver Cromwell. As my old colleague, Peter Snow, would put it: 'it’s all just a bit of fun!'

Barely two weeks after the announcement of Prince WilliamPrince William and Kate Middleton’s engagement, it seems that the vast majority of the British public welcomes the royal news as an opportunity to shake up some of the institution’s more outdated traditions.

The crown is still popular overall, but there are deep generational divides

Seven in ten Britons support Britain continuing to have a monarchy

Seven in ten people believe that having a monarchy is good for Britain, while second-in-line to the throne Prince William is the country’s favourite royal, and Prince Andrew the least, our survey has revealed. Fewer than one in ten think the monarchy is a bad thing, while almost one fifth feels that the monarchy is neither good nor bad for the nation.

The Scottish people are divided

Most still support the institution, although younger people far less so

Brits very supportive of monarchy; over half will watch Thames flotilla; life worse now than 1952

Close to half of Britons believe the Duke of York’s response has damaged the monarchy

If the public has a message as William prepares to marry Kate, it is: give the lad a break. In recent years, polls have consistently found that the public would prefer William, rather than Charles, to be our next monarch. No longer. Now, YouGov’s latest poll for Prospect finds that just 37% think William should succeed his grandmother, while 45% think Charles should inherit the crown after more than four decades as Prince of Wales.

It seems that the Harry and Meghan interview has divided the country into two angry camps

Brits want the monarchy to continue but are split about succession to the throne after Queen Elizabeth II

The Prince and Princess of Wales remain the most positively viewed members of the royal family