Arab News reported on a video discussion session that Prince Harry participated in on Tuesday, where he stated that the term "Megxit," used by the British press to describe his and his wife Meghan's decision to step back from their royal duties, is a misogynistic term. Harry spoke via video link during a discussion titled "The Online Lie Machine" organized by the American magazine "Wired," which specializes in technology and culture. He noted that this term is an example of online hate and media bias.
Harry added, without going into detail, "People may know this or may not know this, but the term Megxit is a misogynistic term, coined by a dwarf and amplified by the reporters covering royal news, and it has grown to the general media." He and Meghan, known officially as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, moved to California last year to live a more independent life. Harry cited the racist treatment Meghan, who is of mixed race, received from British tabloid media as one of the reasons for their departure.
A study published in October by the Bot Sentinel service, which analyzes social media content, identified 83 Twitter accounts it claimed were responsible for 70% of the hate content and misinformation targeting Meghan and Harry. Referring to the study, Harry said on Tuesday, "Perhaps the most disturbing part is the number of British journalists who interact with them and amplify the lies, but more concerning is that they repeat these lies as if they are fact."
Since then, Harry and Meghan have campaigned against the negative effects of social media, arguing that it impacts people's mental health. Harry described the disinformation happening as a "global humanitarian crisis." Speaking about his mother, he added that Princess Diana lost her life in a car crash in Paris after being chased by photographers. He continued, "I know the nature of this story well. I lost my mother to this artificial illness, and I am determined, clearly, not to lose the mother of my children to the same reason."
