Prince Harry considers 'Megxit' to be a misogynistic term
Prince Harry believes the term 'Megxit', which was used to describe his and wife Meghan's decision to quit royal duties, is "misogynistic".
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were stepping back as senior working members of the royal family in January 2020, and the British press subsequently started using the term - a portmanteau of "Meghan" and "exit" and a play on "Brexit" - to describe their decision, and he believes the word was strongly prejudiced against his wife.
"The term 'Megxit' was or is a misogynistic term that was created by a troll, amplified by world correspondents, and it grew and grew and grew onto mainstream media. But it began with a troll," he said during a panel discussion titled Internet Lie Machine at Wired magazine's RE:WIRED virtual summit on Tuesday.
The British royal also spoke about his history with the press and the spread of misinformation, particularly in relation to his late mother Princess Diana.
"I felt it personally over the years, and I'm now watching it happen globally affecting everyone, not just America, literally everyone around the world," he said, reports People. "I learned from a very early age that the incentives of publishing are not necessarily aligned with the incentives of the truth.
"I know the story all too well. I lost my mother to this self-manufactured rabidness, and obviously I'm determined not to lose the mother to my children to the same thing."
Meghan also took aim at the tabloid press on Tuesday when she appeared at The New York Times’ DealBook Online Summit and told host Andrew Ross Sorkin that reading them was damaging for everyone's mental health.
"Well, firstly I would urge you not to read tabloids," Meghan stated. "Because I don't think that's healthy for anyone. Hopefully, one day they come with a warning label like cigarettes do. Like, 'This is toxic for your mental health.'"
Harry and Meghan, who share two children, sat down for a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey earlier this year to address some of the tabloid rumours about them and give their side of the story.
