They want the monarchy to be abolished but even the fiercest opponents of the Royal Family were charmed by the news of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement.
Campaigners Republic want the Queen to be replaced by an elected head of state, but still took the time to celebrate the news – even if the response wasn’t exactly gushing.
Speaking for the organisation, Graham Smith simply said ‘congratulations’.
Republic’s voice joined millions across the world in wishing the best to the happy couple.
Harry and Meghan’s love was there for all to see and even anti-monarchy campaigners Republic offered the couple a ‘Congratulations’
But the group also said the ‘happy news would turn into a PR exercise’
However the campaign group became more vocal on Twitter about the general reaction to the wedding.
The organisation wrote: ‘What is happy news for the royal couple is going to turn into another royal PR exercise, helped along by a widespread failure of good journalism.
‘The royals have lots of hard questions to answer, about misuse of public funds, inappropriate lobbying and abuse of privilege.
‘They’re on the public payroll to do a public service, they need to be treated as we treat politicians.’
Republic also appeared to defend Miss Markle against anyone criticising her over her nationality, ethnicity or career.
Despite the positive news, Republic kept up its campaign to treat the Royals ‘as if they were politicians’
Republic also defended Miss Markle against ‘weird commentary’ surrounding the news and said Royals ‘should marry who they want’
Meghan Markle said ‘yes’ immediately to Prince Harry after he proposed on one knee while they were cooking dinner, the couple said in their first joint interview
It tweeted: ‘Weird commentary already started about Meghan Markle and the engagement.
‘Royals should be able to marry who they want. And we should be able to elect who we want.’
Hours later it also suggested anyone not enjoying the Royal Wedding buzz should sign up and join its campaign, suggesting the initial reaction would not prompt any change in attitude going forward.
It came as the worldwide reaction to the announcement, and in particular the couple’s first interview, was overwhelmingly positive.
The wider reaction on social media ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous, with one woman revealing an ‘old dear’ mistakenly believed Harry was marrying Angela Merkel
Another woman from the US pleaded with Britain to take the country back now American Meghan was joining the Royal Family
Many spoke of their jealousy at the love shown between Meghan and Harry in their interview
Others made more pithy remarks about how the wedding had cured their blues over the uncertainty of Brexit
Many said they were moved to tears by the couple’s love and affection for one another on camera.
Others bemoaned the fact both Harry and Miss Markle are now off the market.
More celebrated the news as a positive event in an uncertain future among concerns about the future of the UK Government and Brexit.
One user wrote: ‘I can’t say I’m a Royalist because I’m not, but I don’t dislike the Royal family either. News of Meghan and Harry’s wedding is a thankfully welcome relief from all the other hubbub, doom and gloom.’
Some also saw the funny side, with one American woman begging the UK to ‘take us back’ and hinted US President Donald Trump should be replaced by Harry and Meghan.
One Twitter user said Meghan ‘stole the show’ during the interview and helped a ‘nervous’ Harry through it
Others said the couple made a very good impression together and ‘would do a lot of good for the world’
Many spoke of how emotional they became watching the footage and how they were ‘smiling and crying’ at the same time
Another woman revealed the news hasn’t fully sunken in with everyone as she told of an ‘old dear’ she spoke to who believed Harry was ‘marrying Angela Merkel’.
But there were those who were less excited about the news, and in particular the wide coverage it received.
One Twitter user said the constant mention of the couple was ‘giving her diabetes’ while another said ‘some real news would be appreciated’.
Another wrote: Musing on the wonder of the forthcoming nuptials of Meghan and Harry? Urgh. If anything could put me right off my breakfast, that’d be up there.’
Most were just taken aback by the loving glances and gestures the pair displayed towards one another during the informal chat, with Meghan praised for ‘stealing the show’.
One Twitter user said: ‘Still not over Harry and Meghan. Every interview I watch & every picture of them I see makes me so jealous of how much they love each other.’
Another said: ‘The way Prince Harry and Meghan Markle looked at each other and held hands throughout the entire interview.’
But there were also those who were less convinced, with one person criticising Meghan for not knowing who Harry was at first
Others hit out at the ‘sweetness’ of the situation with one woman saying it was ‘giving her diabetes’
But even the unconvinced were eventually persuaded by the love between the couple
Perhaps the most popular reaction was that of despair that both Meghan and Harry are now off the market