If you were worried that you’d talked yourself into circles (of hell) over Brexit and there was no point ever having a dinner party again because dinner party discussions just make you murderous, then don't fear – Megxit is here.
A poll over the weekend is further proof of what we’d all kind of suspected, given the name it was given within about 20 minutes of being announced: Megxit is the new Brexit.
The Mail on Sunday survey this weekend revealed that, just like Brexit, that we are not only a nation divided, we’re also a nation generationally divided. While 48 per cent (is 48 per cent the number that will haunt Britain forever?) of ‘baby boomers’ (those aged 56-74) are against Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision, for Millennials (19-37) two-thirds of the group support them.
A massive 89 per cent of boomers say the couple should’ve told the Queen of their plans to step away from Royal duties, while a third of millennials had no problem with the idea that the head of state was supposedly kept in the dark.
That’s probably symptomatic of another divide – that of the decision about whether to abolish the monarchy. Nearly a third of the younger group support complete abolition, only at 12 per cent on the older boomers.
But it’s not just figures – it’s about signifiers, too. What you think of Harry and Meghan’s move puts you in one camp or the other. Like, if you think, ‘Hmm, I like them, but that seems a bit tough on the Queen and are they gonna still get their house paid for?’, are you suddenly WITH PIERS MORGAN? Is he your camp now? How did that happen? If you think maybe Meghan has influence over Harry, do you feel comfortable thinking that, if you’re also worried it makes you sexist, and even racist?
And have you worried about what to say on social media, for fear of ending up ‘on the wrong side’? Or have you avidly retweeted pro-Meghan and Harry pieces to officially make it known you’re A GOOD ONE? Does what you're saying about Megxit fit your brand more than maybe what's going on in your brain? I’m not making this up – it’s based in things people have said to me… just in real life.
The point is that not only does what Meghan and Harry are personally doing in their lives suddenly seem hugely divisive, it also seems to leave little room for grey. In real life, lots of people have said to me they don’t know what they think – or that they’re somewhere in the middle. But in our post-Brexit landscape, that doesn’t really seem to be an option. It’s like 2016 all over again. What camp are you in?
It is also becoming clear in the media that, thanks to a public insatiability for information, careers are being built and carved out of ‘having the inside track’ on Megxit. There are near-screaming matches between 'talking heads' happening on ‘news’ shows. That’s straight from the Brexit blueprint.
One thing to be glad about, though, is that I doubt anyone will be standing outside Buckingham Palace singing ‘We’re not gonna Megxit!’ while another guy stands nearby screaming, ‘Let’s get Megxit done’.
And let's also hope that these negotiations aren’t still going on in four years’ time… that’s definitely something we can all – generation whatever you are – agree on.
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