4 May 2011

The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton have had a dramatic impact on approval of the Royal family and whether people expect New Zealand to become a republic according to a UMR Research poll carried out in the past week .

Approval of the Royal family has leaped to 74% from the 60% it stood at back in July 2002 when the question was last asked.

There has also been a massive turn-around in expectations about whether New Zealand will become a republic in the next 20 years. Back in 2005, a clear majority (58%) expected the country to become one in that time with less than one-third (29%) saying it would not. Today, 52% don’t expect New Zealand to become a republic and only 33% expect it will.

Not surprisingly, opposition to New Zealand becoming a republic is stronger than it has been for over decade. Today, only 24% support the country becoming a republic and 58% are opposed with 18% unsure.

The survey also showed that about half of adult New Zealanders (53%) watched the wedding closely. Women were by far the most interested with 62% watching it closely compared 43% of men. Although interest was strongest among those over 60 with 64% watching it closely, half of those under 30 years of age (53%) also watched it closely.

Interestingly, one-third (32%) of those who disapprove of the Royal family and 42% of Republicans also watched the wedding closely.

Support for New Zealand becoming a republic varies relatively little by age, but 31% of men are Republicans compared to only 19% of women.

ENDS

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