Prince Harry and Meghan Markle scrambling in new battle with Prince William - analysis by Svar Nanan-Sen
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are scrambling in their fresh battle with Prince William
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are scrambling in their fresh battle with Prince William to capture the hearts of New Yorkers and the wider US audience.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced they will host an event to mark Mental Health Day through their organisation Archewell in October.
It comes less than a month after Prince William's hugely successful two-day visit to New York to promote his Earthshot Prize.
During the Prince of Wales's time in the Big Apple, American royal fans flocked to the scene of his engagements to get a glimpse of him.
Prince William undertook a hugely successful two-day visit to New York to promote his Earthshot Prize.
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GB News spoke to New Yorkers to gauge their opinion on Prince William and the overwhelming feelings were admiration and appreciation.
The royal was described as an "incredible person, a great leader and an awesome role model" by one fan.
Another New Yorker told GB News: "Prince William is truly a true Prince, Harry is just unfortunately a pawn of his wife."
And while that is a particularly harsh verdict on the Duke of Sussex, it does indicate the scale of the battle that Meghan and Harry have on their hands against a hugely popular rival.
WATCH NOW: New Yorkers give their verdicts on the Royal Family
In August 2023, the Prince of Wales was named the most popular public figure in the US, comfortably beating former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden.
Other members of the Royal Family were not included in the poll, but this level of positive feeling towards Prince William is something Meghan and Harry will be desperate to replicate for themselves.
After all, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been living in California for three years after stepping down as working members of the Royal Family.
Meghan Markle is a US citizen and the couple look committed to building the next chapter of their life in the country of her birth.
Meghan Markle is a US citizen and the couple look committed to building the next chapter of their life in the country of her birth.
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MORE ROYAL ANALYSIS:
Prince Harry is more popular than his wife, with an approval rating of 12.
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A poll by Newsweek in September 2023 found that the Duchess of Sussex has a net approval rating of -2 amongst Americans.
Prince Harry is more popular than his wife, with an approval rating of 12.
In contrast, Prince William has a positive approval rating of 28 and his wife, Princess Kate, has an even better approval rating of 33.
The Prince and Princess of Wales's popularity in the US may explain a pivot from launching public attacks on the Royal Family and in particular Kate and William since the release of the Duke of Sussex's bombshell autobiography Spare.
Regardless of the strategy Meghan and Harry choose to implement, they face a long and uncertain road ahead to secure popularity parity with William, whose lead could prove an insurmountable problem for the Sussexes.