Almost two thirds of British people don't want Prince Charles to become king, according to a new poll.

Prince Charles

Prince Charles

An ICM Unlimited vote for general interest publication Prospect magazine found 62 per cent would prefer either Prince William or neither of the royal pair to take over the throne when Queen Elizabeth, 91, hangs up her crown.

Only 38 per cent of those polled voted for Charles, 68, taking on the role of king should his mother abdicate or pass away.

But William, 35, attracted 46 per cent of the vote, and there was a minority 16 per cent who didn't back the father or son duo at all.

What's more, over a fifth (21 per cent) admitted they would think about the monarchy more negatively if Charles was announced as king, in contrast to seven per cent who would be pleased with the news.

But 69 per cent admitted Charles being king wouldn't change their immediate opinions about the monarchy.

Martin Boon, director at ICM Unlimited, said: "Obviously nobody can really know how Charles will actually perform as king just yet.

"What these figures indicate, however, is that the country may not be in a forgiving mood if there were to be any serious slips -

he starts without the huge legacy of goodwill that his mother has built up over the decades."

But it was recently said Charles is not "longing" to be king.

A source said: "The Prince of Wales does not sit there every day looking longingly at Buckingham Palace, wanting to be king.

"He's demonstrably made a role for himself as heir to the throne and is acutely aware that this role is coming but he's not willing it forward because to do so would involve the demise of his own mother.

"It's certainly not a case of: The only way I can do good work is when I'm king because he's been doing good work for years."

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