Most Brits in favor of Megxit but also want Harry and Meghan's funding to be cut, shows YouGov poll
Although their decision to step back as senior members of the Royal Family came as a surprise to the British public, according to a recent poll, the masses were more or less on board with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's announcement.
According to YouGov, an international research and data analytics organization polled a group of 1,327 people from the United Kingdom on Thursday, January 9, on whether they support the now infamously termed, 'Megxit.' As it turned out, the couple's dramatic move was supported by 45 percent of the people polled, while 26 percent opposed the move. Thirty percent of the participants preferred to stay neutral on the matter, People magazine reported.
When it came to the Sussexes' main source of income - which currently comes from the Duchy of Cornwall - a whopping two-thirds of the public were of the opinion that it needed to be cut off completely following their parting with the royal family. Only 13 percent thought that they should be allowed to keep the funding. Among those supporting the couple being deprived of their funding, 71 percent were conservative voters, according to YouGov.
Also, while 49 percent of the people polled thought that Megxit will not hurt the royal family, 32 percent opined that it could mean trouble for the monarchy in the long run.
Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, announced the historic decision on Wednesday, in a statement on Instagram.
“We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen,” they said. “It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment. We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honor our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages."
Although the 93-year-old monarch and senior members of the royal family, including Prince Charles and Prince William, were caught off guard by Harry and Meghan's decision, they soon composed themselves and got their teams to work with the Sussexes' to make the transition possible.
“The Queen, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of Cambridge have directed their teams to work at pace with governments and the Sussexes’s office to find workable solutions and this is expected to take days, not weeks,” the royal source told the outlet. “This has moved from shock and a range of emotions to something more constructive. It is complicated. This is happening very quickly."