Megxit is a masterclass of media management by the Queen.

Artwork by Tarek Chemaly

It was only a week after Lady Diana died that Queen Elizabeth agreed to fly the flag at half-mast all while the nation was weeping uncontrollably. In her logic, the death of the ex-wife of her eldest son did not affect the family - later, much later, it emerged that she had sheltered her grandsons William and Harry from the news and in the days that followed the tragedy took care of them emotionally.
Make no mistake, the monarch learnt her lesson. When news broke that Harry and Meghan Markle wished to step back from their royal duties she arranged for a meeting at the highest royal echelons. News broke that she caved in and that Harry and Meghan pulled a gun on her temple and won.
Not so fast.
Yesterday it emerged that Harry and Meghan will relinquish their royal titles and pay back the British taxpayers the money that was put to renovate their cottage. I did say it previously, the woman who outlasted so many American presidents and British Prime Ministers is not going to relinquish so easily and here we are today - she let loose her grandson and his wife, upgraded the role of her youngest son (Edward and his wife Sophie), weathered a media storm successfully, all while scotch taping her family and has three kings-in-waiting and an ensured line of succession.
I want to be this tough when I get to 93 years old.

Buckingham Palace spin machine is better than anyone thinks!

God Save The Queen - Jamie Reid

So it seems I am commenting on an international rather than local event. The news emerged that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (that's Harry and Meghan to you!!) wish to step back from their royal duties. Whereas Buckingham Palace's first reaction was muted saying it is a complex issue, because it seems even the queen was blindsided by the announcement, today reports emerge that Elizabeth II wants the matter resolved quickly - within days.
Make no mistake, you cannot hold the throne so long and not be experienced in Public Relations, spin and alterative story-telling. Right after her son also took a step back (Prince Andrew) from his royal engagements due to his friendship with now-diseased paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, she insisted on showing herself horse-riding with him right in front of the press. If this is not he-might-relegate-his-royal-duties-but-he's-still-my-son spin I wonder what is!
All this put aside, just as Harry and Meghan exploded their bombshell, and while crisis meetings were being held at the palace, suddenly stories about "Lady Louise" (who? Prince Edward's - the queen's youngest son's daughter who is usually never discussed in the press!) or about "Zara Tindall" (who? The queen's granddaugher!) or about the Dutchess of Cambridge's birthday (that's Kate Middleton's official title) at the palace, were flooding the gossip press.
Buckingham Palace is smart, it knows that the game will be played in the court of tabloid press (and their websites) rather than in informed analysis in more respectable outlets. This is a sign of a well-oiled spin machine and no grandchild (no matter how much he is liked by the queen - which appaently Harry is) is going to be an obstacle in front of. The woman who survived the death of Princess Diana (dubbed "Queen of hearts") and bounced back to become an incredibly well-liked figure is not going to yield to a Hollywood actress no matter how much clout that actress thinks she has.
I really think anyone who is blowing the horn on "bombshells" and "crisis for the monarchy" and what not, does not understand how exceptional the palace is at going forward. Harry and Meghan want to capitalize on their Royal name and connections all while turning their back on the said name and connections - if the name Wallis Simpson does not ring a bell maybe it should.
But again, underestimating the clout of a spin machine is not to be recommended, that woman - the queen - is tough. I would not advise anyone to test her.