Poll: Brits, Americans think Prince William should be king

Kate Middleton and Prince William visit Whitton Park on April 11, 2011, in Darwen, England.

/ Getty

(CBS) CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto.

Prince Charles, now 62, has been heir to the British throne for a very long time. But many in the U.S. - and some in Britain - believe that his son Prince William should be the one to take over after Queen Elizabeth II.

According to a CBS News/New York Times poll, more Americans favor Prince William inheriting the throne (38 percent) than want it passed on to the Prince of Wales (16 percent). One in four Americans prefer that Britain have an elected president instead.

Complete coverage: Britain's royal wedding

Prince William is preferred as the next monarch by Britons as well. According to a poll conducted in Great Britain for CBS News by the British online polling firm YouGov, 47 percent say that he should be the next king, while 34 percent think Charles should inherit the throne.

By more than three to one, Americans say the royal family is a good thing for the British people, but they don't think their country should have one of its own - 68 percent say having a royal family would not be a good thing in the United States.

PDF: Read the complete poll results

The British generally feel good about having a monarchy - 71 percent say that having a royal family is a good thing, according to the YouGov poll.

For more results from the poll check out our "Early Show" story from this morning.

The U.S. portion of this poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,224 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone April 15-20, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 3 percent.

The British portion of the poll was conducted for CBS News among 2,431 adults by YouGov, using their online panel, April 18-19, 2011. The sample was weighted to reflect the profile of the entire adult population in Great Britain.

37 Photos

Prince William and Kate

[barbaram99]

I have done some reading about this as it is true HRH Charles is in line to become King in his Mother's passing. Please bear with me as an Ameican on this. Be it HRH Charles or HRH William etc. The person will do what is best for yer Nation. As one poster pointed out my err. I did not mean to pass over the Queen's son in favour of HRH William. Who ever is King/Queen will serve yer Nation.

[swampy991]

And why do Americans think that the Brits give a rat's ass what the U.S. thinks about the succesion to their throne? Wasn't a war fought in North America to get rid of the British monarchy? Americans got rid of the Royal family back then and at the same time gave up any influence over it. So no-one in England cares what America thinks about who should be next in line to the throne. Get over it .

[Forty-Four]

How many picked: "I don't give a s***?"

[ribhouseriot]

Thank you, CBS News Poll analyzers of the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto. Out of 1224 Americans, this was the article they wrote.And it is a terrible, baseless article.

It solicits the flawed and irrelevant opinions of a hand full of what are probably stereotypically ignorant Americans, people who should know better than to give pollsters ANY reply. How much filth do you type up and call news, CBS? How do you get off embarrassing America writing sluff like this?

How about this? I just called around to a few brits, and 100% said America should mind its own business. Put that story out-at least nobody would spit in your eye.

[two-cats]

I think Charles should be king and certainly William should want that, too. Being king or queen is a burden with little power, much criticism, and gazillions of royal duties. Frankly, the British like to keep their royals so that they can chastise them. Also, Americans are attracted to the palace in droves when they go to London. Despite all the folderol to the contrary, many, many Americans are very interested in the British royals. The royal hoopla brings in the tourists by the droves.

[steve61757]

Whats the difference between one family in England not paying taxes and Americas richest Americans not paying any taxes?

[notyrants]

The poll: I've never been in a poll. The polls I take result in the americans I meet not giving one damn about this useless waste of televised airtime and internet. As a matter of fact, why are so many British accented people showing up in the media. I think the British empire is the roots of the United State's ills. The arrogant Brits.

[swampy991]

Yep, that's right, blame all America's wrongs on foreigners.. though seeing as the U.S. is a nation of foreigners and immigrants that would be kind of ironic. I think you'll find that so many "British accented people" are showing up in your media because they've been asked by American broadcasters. Go and complain to them. Similarly, no one in England is putting a gun to American broadcasters' heads and making them give blanket coverage to the royal wedding. They're doing it of their own free will, presumably because they think there is a hell of lot of interest in the U.S. If all Americans think like you why not contact the t.v. execs and tell them where to shove their royal wedding coverage? I'm sure it would disappear from your screens pretty quickly. :0)

[lilbear925]

Obama wants to be king...

[notyrants]

Non-democratic global corporate oligarchs have beat any "democratically elected official" to the punch.

[gadfly65]

Any American who cares about this dishonors those who died to assert our nation's independence.

[bobsam55]

don't be an ugly american

[barbaram99]

I am an American..I want to wish the best to HRH William and I am not sure who will become King there in UK after the death of the Queen. I do think it may be HRH William. He does look like his late Mother. Be it HRH Clarles or HRH William only the Queen knows. I think the Queen's granson would move the Royal family into the modern age if he is made King.

[howbizarre]

I don't think looks matter much in the determination of who will be King. I'd also like to know if there is any precedence at all where a father was bypassed for his son. I don't think it really matters what Americans want as far as the succession so I don't know why there are polls asking Americans their opinion on this.