Similar situation in Gibraltar. The residents consisently vote to stay under the more competent rule of the British rather than go back under the Spaniards - even though most of the them are ethnically Spanish.

I have older family from Gibraltar who always considered themselves Spanish and who grew up resenting the British. But the last time they visited, they talked to some of the locals and they actually changed their mind about the whole thing. The fact that southern Spain was going through a drought and Gibraltar had excess water due to superior preparation - even offering excess water to the Spanish who refused out of spite - did a pretty good job of illustrating the difference between British and Spanish rule.

My grandma still hates the queen tho.