One in five Britons think the Queen should abdicate, survey finds

The survey also found three in five Britons think Prince Charles will make a good king when he comes to the throne

Three-quarters of the public say they think the Monarchy has an important role to play in Britain's future (Alastair Grant/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

One in five Britons think the Queen should abdicate rather than remain on the throne for as long as possible.

As the Queen turns 90, an Ipsos MORI survey of 1,001 British adults found support for the monarchy has remained relatively consistent.

Three-quarters of the public (76 per cent) say they think the monarchy has an important role to play in Britain's future.

The survey also found three in five Britons (60 per cent) thought Prince Charles would make a good king when he comes to the throne, while 22 per cent thought he would be a bad king.

The public's opinion of Prince Charles has improved since 10 years ago, when 52 per cent thought he would make a good king.

Roger Mortimore, professor of public opinion at the Institute of Contemporary British History at King's College London, said: “The Queen is our longest ever reigning monarch, and the public are clear that they want her reign to continue.

"She has succeeded in keeping the institution popular, and most people now think the monarchy will still have an important role in Britain’s future.

"Moreover, the public are increasingly confident that Prince Charles will make a good king when the time comes. The outlook for the monarchy looks bright.”

Britain's republican movement has announced it will campaign to make the case for holding a referendum on the future of the British monarchy after the Queen's death.

Republic claims the monarchy has a history of abusing public money and meddling in politics.

A historian recently argued that the institution could be on its "last legs" by 2030. Dr Anna Whitelock said support for the monarchy is linked to the Queen, not the idea of having a royal family itself.

She said once the Queen was no longer on the throne the monarchy could face a stronger challenge to its reign.