People Think Meghan Markle Has Developed a British Accent
After marrying her royal fiancé in a custom Givenchy gown and becoming best buds with the Queen, it’s safe to say that Meghan Markle has had something akin to a fairytale year.
Given her royal status, Meghan has rapidly become an Internet darling and style icon. However, with all that publicity comes a whole lot of speculation. As noted by Elle, the latest rumor surrounding the Duchess of Sussex involves neither her marriage nor her royal duties; rather, it’s her voice that has people talking.
On June 14, a video posted by Twitter user @elzeiny99 showed Meghan attending the opening ceremony for Mersey Gateway Bridge, her first royal engagement without Prince Harry. Everything seemed normal until a few users pointed out what sounded like a vaguely British twang to Meghan's voice. Since the observation, the internet has been in shambles trying to determine whether the Duchess has already managed to take on her in-laws’ accent.
The debacle is unfolding like a regal version of the infamous "Yanny" vs. "Laurel" debate. While some argue that they can’t hear the accent, others are sure Meghan has pledged her full allegiance to the country across the pond, citing the moment when she says “Thank you, I appreciate that” in the clip as especially potent evidence.
A professional linguist named Dennis Preston claims to have debunked the gossip. In an article for Yahoo! Lifestyle, he explained that true accent development takes far more time than the few months Meghan has spent in England.
“I did a very careful listen, paying specific attention to her vowels, a big giveaway with British accents, as well as the intonation. I just didn’t find anything resembling a British accent,” he told the website. “There’s nothing there.”
Accent or no accent, we will continue to stan — Meghan's kindness in this video is simply more proof that she would be an amazing BFF.
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