Brits are bursting with more pride than ever before, as a survey reveals that over a third of us are feeling more patriotic since the Royal Wedding.
- Over a third feel more patriotic after Royal Wedding
- History and tradition are what Brits are most proud of
- Sense of humour defines the modern Briton
- Drunken behaviour tops the list of most embarrassing British traits
Brits are bursting with more pride than ever before, as a survey reveals that over a third of us are feeling more patriotic since the Royal Wedding.
The Best of British research, carried out by the only British variety of soft eating liquorice, Henry Goode’s, shows that the recent wedding of Wills and Kate has had an overwhelmingly positive effect on the mood of the nation, with 56 per cent saying that they were either very or quite proud to be British, and half the nation admitting they felt a surge in pride during the wedding itself. Only a measly eight per cent said they felt less patriotic.
The survey was carried out to discover when, how much and what makes us feel proud to be British, as part of Henry Goode’s ongoing campaign for a return of traditional Great British values. This is the second year that the survey has been conducted by the brand, in a bid to measure the mood of the nation.
In a huge turnaround from 2009, when 34 per cent of respondents* said they couldn’t remember the last occasion they felt proud to be British, that number has now fallen to less than one in five.
When asked what we have to be proud of as a nation, our history and traditions topped the list, followed by countryside and landscape, health service and armed forces. Unsurprisingly, the weather, economy and banking system fared less well, coming out at the bottom of the pile.
The defining characteristic of the modern Great Briton was felt to be our sense of humour, with over 43 per cent picking this ahead of anything else. When asked what the British were best at, comedy and music came out on top. And the occasions when we feel the most patriotic stirrings were dominated by big sporting events such as the Olympics and World Cups, with Remembrance Day sandwiched in between.
But it wasn’t all good news. Over 60 per cent of people surveyed felt that Brits are now less well mannered than in the past, closely followed by being less neighbourly and kind. When it came to what made our toes curl about being British, it was bad news for wayward behaviour and reality TV stars. Nearly 70 per cent said drunken behaviour abroad was the most embarrassing thing about Great Britain, followed closely by unruly football fans, Katie Price, bad language and reality TV show The Only Way is Essex.
Sarah Brown, senior brand manager for Henry Goode, said: “It’s fantastic to see that more people are feeling proud of Britain and all things British. We spend too much time focusing on the negatives, which is why Henry Goode is campaigning to remind people to instead celebrate the great things about our country.”