Australia’s Monarchist Support Holds Firm Amid Prince Andrew Scandal
Despite revelations from Virginia Giuffre’s memoir and pressure on the British royal family, most Australians continue to back the monarchy and separate their view of the institution from individual scandal
The release of American-Australian Virginia Giuffre’s memoir has reignited global scrutiny of Prince Andrew’s alleged misconduct, yet many Australians say the episode does not diminish their support for the monarchy.
The author, who claimed to have been trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and forced into non-consensual encounters with Prince Andrew, said she feared dying a "sex slave" at age seventeen while at the Mar-a-Lago club.
Andrew has consistently denied all wrongdoing.
In Australia, where support for the Crown remains steady, the scandal surrounding Andrew appears to have limited effect on public sentiment about the institution.
A Roy Morgan poll conducted in late October 2024 found that 57 per cent of Australians believe the country should remain a monarchy, while 43 per cent favour a republic.
Australian monarchists interviewed by local media said they differentiate the actions of a single royal from the institution itself.
One supporter, who asked to be identified only as Kate, said the allegations against Prince Andrew were "inexcusable" but stressed that the monarchy’s constitutional role in Australia remained valid.
“Charles has done all he can to cut ties with Andrew,” she said, adding that she still felt the monarchy provided a sense of stability.
Historian Cindy McCreery of the University of Sydney acknowledged the seriousness of the scandal but noted it was “too early” to assess its long-term impact on Australian views of the royal family.
“For people sympathetic to the royals, the issue may erode their confidence in the family’s moral oversight,” she said.
The current strength of monarchist sentiment is reflected in additional polling: while fewer Australians under age thirty-five favour the monarchy, a solid majority over age fifty support it.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese — himself a declared republican — has ruled out a referendum during his term, suggesting that matters of constitutional change are not immediate priorities.
With Prince Andrew’s popularity at historic lows — a British YouGov poll found that only 13 per cent of respondents had a positive view of him — the royal family faces significant reputational damage.
But in Australia, the key question is whether the monarchy as an institution will sustain broader respect.
At present, most Australians appear comfortable separating the misconduct of one individual from their support for Britain’s Crown as Australia’s head of state.
The author, who claimed to have been trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and forced into non-consensual encounters with Prince Andrew, said she feared dying a "sex slave" at age seventeen while at the Mar-a-Lago club.
Andrew has consistently denied all wrongdoing.
In Australia, where support for the Crown remains steady, the scandal surrounding Andrew appears to have limited effect on public sentiment about the institution.
A Roy Morgan poll conducted in late October 2024 found that 57 per cent of Australians believe the country should remain a monarchy, while 43 per cent favour a republic.
Australian monarchists interviewed by local media said they differentiate the actions of a single royal from the institution itself.
One supporter, who asked to be identified only as Kate, said the allegations against Prince Andrew were "inexcusable" but stressed that the monarchy’s constitutional role in Australia remained valid.
“Charles has done all he can to cut ties with Andrew,” she said, adding that she still felt the monarchy provided a sense of stability.
Historian Cindy McCreery of the University of Sydney acknowledged the seriousness of the scandal but noted it was “too early” to assess its long-term impact on Australian views of the royal family.
“For people sympathetic to the royals, the issue may erode their confidence in the family’s moral oversight,” she said.
The current strength of monarchist sentiment is reflected in additional polling: while fewer Australians under age thirty-five favour the monarchy, a solid majority over age fifty support it.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese — himself a declared republican — has ruled out a referendum during his term, suggesting that matters of constitutional change are not immediate priorities.
With Prince Andrew’s popularity at historic lows — a British YouGov poll found that only 13 per cent of respondents had a positive view of him — the royal family faces significant reputational damage.
But in Australia, the key question is whether the monarchy as an institution will sustain broader respect.
At present, most Australians appear comfortable separating the misconduct of one individual from their support for Britain’s Crown as Australia’s head of state.
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