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Mary Kenny
Opinion Queen Elizabeth’s absence from state opening of parliament signals new era for monarchy
Like the Catholic Church in Ireland, the British monarchy is said to have lost, or is losing, its historic allure for younger people. Older people support it, but a younger generation is more favourable to an elected head of state. According to a poll published this year by Statista, 41pc of 18 to 24-year-olds would now choose an elected president over a hereditary monarch – which, like religious faith, seems an outdated concept to the Instagram generation.