Queen Named Top Female Role Model of the Past 100 Years in U.K. Survey – Newsweek

Queen Elizabeth II has been voted the most influential female role model of the past 100 years in a survey conducted by Good Housekeeping magazine in the U.K.

Some 34 percent of readers identified the 96-year-old monarch as having been the most influential woman in the survey, which marked the magazine's centenary.

The result comes as the Queen celebrates her historic platinum jubilee this year, having marked becoming the first British sovereign to reign for 70 years with a weekend of celebrations in early June.

To celebrate its centenary milestone Good Housekeeping commissioned a survey of 2,451 women, looking to assess the biggest factors of change in the lives of its readers since its first issue.

Behind the queen, 21 percent of respondents were unable to chose while 13 percent identified their mothers or grandmothers as their most influential female role models.

Speaking of the results of Good Housekeeping's survey, editor-in-chief Gaby Huddart said:

"This is the biggest consumer survey we've ever conducted into attitudes and our mission was to capture the key developments in British history, culture and the home, according to British women.

"It's brought some wonderful findings to light, not least the fact that Queen Elizabeth II is considered the greatest influencer of our generation."

The survey also found that respondents considered the internet to be the biggest influence on modern life over the past 100 years, voted for by 75 percent, while the washing machine was voted as best domestic invention, ahead of the refrigerator or freezer.

On wider societal change, 91 percent of British women who responded to the survey said that women are better off today than they were a century ago with increased financial independence, birth control and wider access to education identified as driving forces for this.

Despite this only 1 percent said that the 2020s were the best decade to live in, with the 1980s coming out on top with a 19 percent share of the vote. It should be noted however, that 69 percent of respondents were aged 55 or over.

The Queen has consistently topped the list of most popular royals with the result being affirmed by data analyst YouGov in their recent polling results for the second quarter (Q2) of 2022.

Following the jubilee, the Queen received a 75 percent popularity rating with surveyed members of the British public which has remained consistent through from the first quarter (Q1) but down one percent from its two-year high of 76 percent.

The second most popular royal in the U.K. is Kate Middleton, whose popularity rose from 60 percent in Q1 to 68 percent in Q2. This follows criticism faced by the royal over the course of the jubilee regarding her parenting after Prince Louis was seen shushing his mother during the jubilee pageant which went viral.

Kate's increase in public popularity has placed her ahead of her husband who achieved a consistent score of 66 percent of adults surveyed over Q1 and Q2.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first joint public visit to the U.K. since stepping down as full-time working members of the royal family and the broadcast of their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey also saw an impact on their popularity in the U.K.

In Q1 Harry was liked by 32 percent of Brits, a number that increased to 34 percent in Q2.

Meghan also saw an increase from 24 to 25 percent in popularity among Brits, despite remaining just one place ahead of Prince Andrew as number 14 of the 15 most popular royals.

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Queen Named Top Female Role Model of the Past 100 Years in U.K. Survey - Newsweek