Because today is a day that ends in “y,” Meghan Markle has social media in a frenzy. What exactly about the Duchess of Sussex are people buzzing about? It has nothing to do with her hair, makeup or wardrobe - people are annoyed about the way she is talking.
There is a clip of Meghan circulating the web from Queen Elizbabeth II’s HBO documentary Queen of the World. In it, Prince Harry’s better half is speaking in what sounded like to many as a slight British accent, describing her wedding dress.
"Oh my goodness, it's amazing, isn't it? The work that they did here is just so beautiful,” Meghan says looking at the exquisite gown for the first time since the wedding.
"Somewhere in here there's a piece of, did you see? The piece of blue fabric that's stitched inside?" Meghan asks. "It was my something blue...it's fabric from the dress that I wore on our first date."
The Duchess of Sussex shares her secret “something blue” from her wedding day. Witness special moments spent with the Royal family through the course of a historic year.#QueenOfTheWorld. Tuesday 9.15pm @ITV. pic.twitter.com/QWKPGzny9E
- ITV (@ITV) September 23, 2018
This isn't the first time people have debated whether the Duchess has developed a British accent.
In any case, Twitter wasn't exactly having it. Some people believed it could be a result of voice coaching, or maybe due to the fact she is an actress by trade. Others compared her to Madonna, who infamously adopted a British accent while married to Guy Ritchie.
#QueenOfTheWorld Meghan has had voice coaching, she seems much softer, bit like how Kates changed too
- karen bateup (@pinkdiamond71) September 25, 2018
Meghan's developed a case of Madonna's Accent Change #QueenOfTheWorld
- Stephen Leng (@steveleng) September 25, 2018
Meghan Markle is an actress, arguably a mimic, and is now saturated in British culture... and people think it’s weird that she has picked up an accent? I literally match the intonation of tv commercials after seeing them once. Give her a break WOW I’m taking this too seriously
- DG♔ (@DeeGotts) September 26, 2018
Regardless, we might want to give the girl a break. There may be a scientific explanation as to her (supposed) change of accent.
According to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, we mimic the people around us all the time, without even meaning to. Researchers dub this unintentional mimicry the "chameleon effect" - the natural tendency to imitate another person's speech inflections and physical expressions. What else did they discover? That the individuals being "imitated" found their imitators more likable. Basically, imitation may be the most sincere form of flattery, after all.
So relax, everyone! If Meghan Markle has indeed developed a British accent, it would only be natural considering the American-born royal is surrounded by them 24/7 in England.
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