2022 marks Queen Elizabeth's 70-year reign, making her the longest reigning sovereign.
And while some Canadians may raise a toast to this milestone, it’s not a shared sentiment for everyone in this country.
For 49 per cent of Canadians, the Royal Family reflects outdated values than modern ones, according to a survey from the Angus Reid Institute.
Overall, the majority of Canadians hold favourable views of Queen Elizabeth II. But only Prince William, who is second in line for the throne, is viewed in a positive light among her descendants.
The poll found 54 per cent of Canadians don't have positive views of Prince Charles, with the title of most unfavoured Royal going to Prince Andrew.
One notable finding is that across all age and gender demographics, at least 50 per cent of Canadians said they will be upset when the Queen dies.
Despite the varying levels of affection for the Queen and her family, half of Canadians say they believe the Royals are irrelevant to them personally.
The monarch of the future
Next in line for the throne is Prince Charles; the survey found that 67 per cent of Canadians oppose the accession.
But when it comes to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, becoming queen consort, the opposition is stronger than Prince Charles: 76 per cent of respondents oppose recognizing Camilla as Queen.
In recent years, the idea of severing Canada from the crown has become a frequent topic. But it’s not an easy process. It would be opening a political Pandora’s box. Reopening the constitution would call for provinces to lay out their grievances — like Alberta’s wish to change the equalization formula.
Still, an overwhelming majority of Canadians say that Canada should leave the constitutional monarchy, even if it’s difficult and messy.
Queen turns 96
The Queen celebrated her 96th birthday on April 21.
The day marks yet another milestone in a tumultuous period for the monarch, who has sought to cement the future of the monarchy amid signs of her age and controversy in the family. After recovering from a bout of COVID-19 earlier this year, the Queen’s public appearances have been limited by unspecified “mobility issues.”
Prince Andrew’s multimillion-pound settlement with a woman who accused him of sexual exploitation also caused unwanted headlines for the royal family.
But the Queen got an early birthday treat last week, when grandson Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, paid her a joint visit for the first time since they stepped away from front-line royal duties and moved to California in 2020. Harry, in an interview with NBC, said his grandmother was “on great form,” though he added that he wanted to make sure she was “protected” and had “the right people around her.”
Britain’s longest-serving monarch, Elizabeth has spent much of the past two years at Windsor Castle, west of London, where she took refuge during the pandemic.
It’s been a little over a year since the death of Philip, her spouse of more than 70 years.
With a file from Canadian Press
