- Earlier this week, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, announced their decision to step down from their roles as working royals.
- The news shocked royal fans around the world, but beyond the initial surprise, reactions to the decision have been mixed.
- A new survey conducted by the Daily Mail found that there's a generational divide when it comes to opinions about the move, with millennials mostly supporting Harry and Meghan's decision and baby boomers largely criticizing it.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their most controversial move yet this week when they announced their decision to step back from their roles as senior members of the royal family.
Royal fans around the world were shocked by the news, but beyond that initial gut punch of surprise, reactions have varied. Some people have offered support for the couple, praising their willingness to prioritize their own mental and emotional wellbeing and do what they believe is best for their family. Others have been less enthusiastic about the move, with some even criticizing the couple for stepping back.
The Mail on Sunday conducted a survey about the Sussexes' "abdication" (among other royal issues of the day) and found a pretty significant generational divide when it comes to reactions to the decision. Here are some of the highlights of what the survey found:
Do you approve of Harry and Meghan's decision?
While the overall results for this question skewed positive, with 50 percent saying they do approve and just 35 percent offering a definitive vote of disapproval, the numbers tell a different story when broken down by generation.
Sixty-four percent of millennials (age 19-37) said they approve of the decision, while only 36 percent of boomers said the same.
Who are the best role models?
Both boomers and millennials said Prince William and Kate Middleton were better role models than Harry and Meghan, but millennials were once again much more favorable toward the Sussexes. Only four percent of baby boomers voted for Harry and Meghan as the better role models, while 28 percent of millennials were Team Sussex.
Should the monarchy be abolished?
The Daily Mail survey also asked readers about the monarchy in a more general sense. Once again, boomers were more traditional in their response. Only 12 percent of boomers said it was time to say goodbye to the monarchy, compared to 29 percent of millennials.
Read the full survey results here.
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