section_path: Media image and public opinion
section_name: Media image and public opinion
paragraph_text: Media image and public opinion
  
  Since his birth, Charles has received close media attention, which increased as he matured. It has been an ambivalent relationship, largely impacted by his marriages to Diana and Camilla and their aftermath, but also centred on his future conduct as king.
  
  Described as the " world's most eligible bachelor " in the late 1970s, Charles was subsequently overshadowed by Diana. After her death, the media regularly breached Charles's privacy and printed exposés. Known for expressing his opinions, when asked during an interview to mark his 70th birthday whether this would continue in the same way once he is king, he responded "No. It won't. I'm not that stupid. I do realise that it is a separate exercise being sovereign. So, of course, you know, I understand entirely how that should operate." In 2009 Charles was named the world's best-dressed man by Esquire magazine. In 2023 the New Statesman named Charles as the fourth most powerful right-wing figure of the year, describing him as a " romantic traditionalist " and "the very last reactionary in public life" for his support of various traditionalist think-tanks and previous writings. He was also named one of the 100 most influential people of 2023 by Time magazine.
  
  A 2018 BMG Research poll found that 46 per cent of Britons wanted Charles to abdicate immediately on his mother's death, in favour of William. However, a 2021 opinion poll reported that 60 per cent of the British public had a favourable opinion of him. On his accession to the throne, The Statesman reported an opinion poll that put Charles's popularity with the British people at 42 per cent. More recent polling suggested that his popularity increased sharply after he became king. As of October 2024, Charles had an approval rating of 62 per cent, according to statistics and polling company YouGov.