Public support for the British monarchy has fallen below 50% for the first time, according to a new Savanta poll that also reveals widespread distrust toward the royal family’s handling of the Prince Andrew scandal. 

The survey, commissioned by the anti-monarchy group Republic, found that just 46% of respondents said they support the monarchy, down sharply from 60% in June, while 39% said they oppose it. 

A majority of respondents said they believe members of the royal family knew about Andrew’s alleged behavior before it was made public.

Sixty-one percent said it was “likely” that the royals were aware of the allegations, and 57% called for an inquiry into what senior figures knew and when. 

More than three-quarters of those polled said Andrew should face a criminal investigation, and 70% said the police had not done enough. 

Nearly seven in ten respondents said stripping him of his titles was an inadequate punishment. 

Republic’s chief executive, Graham Smith, said the results show “the monarchy is in serious trouble,” adding that “people clearly want a wider inquiry” and a “national debate about the monarchy’s future.” .

The report is based on a statement issued by Republic on its website, summarizing the Savanta poll commissioned by the group.

Kim Kardashian is just weeks away from becoming a qualified attorney!

The reality TV star talked about her future career plans during her appearance on BBC’s The Graham Norton Show.

Kim said, “I have a few projects coming up — I film my first movie in January, and we are hoping for a season 2 of All’s Fair.”

Adding, “I always want to be growing, curious and evolving, and I want to see wherever that takes me.”

Moreover, the SKIMS founder went on to reveal that results of her exams are coming soon, saying, “I will be qualified in two weeks. I hope to practice law.”

“Maybe in 10 years, I think I’ll give up being Kim K and be a trial lawyer. That’s what I really want,” she hinted at her future plans.

Kim Kardashian, mother of four kids, marks one of her first major acting role in the upcoming legal drama All’s Fair.

When Graham asked Kim how it was to run a business and work on the series, she said, “I’ve learned you can.”

“It was mentally challenging having to do it all, but I loved it,” The Kardashians star added.

Nearly 4,400 people have been abused by Catholic priests in Italy in cases reported since 2020, a victims’ group alleged on Friday, renewing pressure on bishops to confront a crisis that has long plagued the world’s largest Christian faith.

The unofficial tally by Rete l’Abuso, Italy’s largest church abuse victims’ group, is based on victims’ accounts, judicial sources and cases reported by the media, the founder of the association, Francesco Zanard,i said.

Rete l’Abuso did not say how far back the alleged abuse cases occurred.

The Italian Bishops Conference (CEI), which was criticised by the Vatican’s child protection commission last week, had no comment on the findings, a spokesperson said.

Most allegations concern abuse by priests

The global Catholic Church has been shaken for decades by scandals involving paedophile priests and the cover-up of their crimes, but local church leaders in Italy have been less forthcoming in confronting the issue.

New Pope Leo, who met survivors of sexual abuse by clergy for the first time this week, has told the Church’s newest bishops not to hide misconduct allegations. His predecessor, the late Pope Francis, made addressing the issue a priority of his 12-year papacy, but with mixed results.

In an unusually critical report on the issue published on October 16, the Vatican’s child protection commission said only 81 of Italy’s 226 dioceses responded to a questionnaire about safeguarding practices it had drafted.

Rete l’Abuso said it had documented 1,250 suspected cases of abuse — some with multiple victims — including 1,106 allegedly committed by priests, with the rest attributed to nuns, religion teachers, lay volunteers, educators and scout members.

Its report contained cases related to 4,625 victims — or survivors, as the association calls them — including 4,395 abused by priests.

The report said 4,451 of the survivors were under 18, and an almost equally large number — 4,108 — were male, Rete l’Abuso said, adding that five nuns, 156 vulnerable adults and 11 people with disabilities were also among the victims.

According to the association, out of the 1,106 suspected predator priests, only 76 were subjected to church trials, with 17 temporarily suspended, seven moved to other parishes and 18 were defrocked or resigned from the priesthood. Five died by suicide, it added.