Meghan Markle Pronounces 'Scone' to Rhyme with 'Gone' and We Are Confused

Is Meghan Markle giving an English accent a whirl?

On Tuesday, Meghan and her fiancé Prince Harry stepped out in Edinburgh, Scotland, for their much-anticipated Valentine’s Day Eve. Among the fans in the crowd was Carolyn Chisholm, 43, who gave the royal bride-to-be some heart-shaped potato scones from the bakery she runs with her husband.

“I just thought for Valentine’s the scones were a wee gift of Scottishness,” said Chisholm.

But Chisholm’s mother, 70-year-old Lynda Clark, had a small complaint. “[Meghan] gave them to her aide, saying they were ‘scones,’ ” said Lynda Clark, 70, noting that Meghan pronounced the word with a short “o,” to rhyme with “gone.”

Clark added: “The correct pronunciation is ‘scone’ ” — said with a long “o,” to rhyme with bone.

Americans typically pronounce the word with the long “o,” while a 2016 YouGov poll found that the majority of Britons — 51% — pronounce it with a short “o.” (The poll found that those living in northern England and Scotland favor the “gone” pronunciation, so Clark appears to be an outlier.)

Does this mean Los Angeles-raised Meghan, 36, is taking pronunciation tips from her groom-to-be? Or maybe she’s just always said it that way? While these pressing questions remain unanswered, check out a royals-approved scone recipe here.