Expert Explains What Prince Harry's Shifting Accent Really Means

It's only been a few months since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back as senior royals and moved to the United States, but it seems that Prince Harry is already starting to lose his English accent. It's not exactly an American accent, but it's definitely shifting in that direction according to one expert. Prince Harry's new accent can be heard in a promotion for Rising Phoenix, a Netflix documentary which dives into the history of the Paralympic Games. To promote the documentary, the royal participated in a Zoom call with several Paralympians. While Prince Harry still sounds quite English, Judi James, a body language analyst, told Express that the Rising Phoenix Zoom call shows that he has, quote, "adopt[ed] the traces of an American accent when he pronounces 'matter' as 'madder.'" This, according to James, is proof that the Duke of Sussex is adjusting to his new life in America and, quote, "shows signs of his immersion." Interestingly, Meghan's accent was also said to be shifting when she moved to the U.K. to be with her husband. In 2018, E! News reported that royal watchers on Twitter believed that she seemed to be starting to lose her American accent. Sociolinguist and professor Paul Kerswill, on the other hand, noted that what people thought was a shifting accent may have actually been an illusion based on Meghan's wardrobe. Whether or not Meghan's accent actually shifted, if you believe the British tabloids, her staff in the U.S. have reportedly observed that living in the U.K. changed her vocabulary - and they are supposedly amused that she has retained some of what she picked up in the U.K. since moving back to America. Still, Meghan never completely adopted an English accent, and it's unlikely that Prince Harry will ever sound fully American. It's normal, though, for accents to shift a little, at least. A 2017 study published in Language found that it's common for adults' accents to change depending on who they interact with. The study by the Department of Linguistics at McGill University observed accent shifts on the show Big Brother UK, which houses contestants together in isolation for three months. As Setter told the BBC, this phenomenon is known as "accommodation," and many people adapt how they speak based on who they're speaking to. Sociolinguist Dr. Ella Jeffries also told the BBC that people who are trying to fit into a new environment are more likely to experience a shift in accent. So you heard it here first: Harry and Meghan will be sounding like true California natives in no time at all. Keep watching to see Expert Explains What Prince Harry's Shifting Accent Really Means! #PrinceHarry #MeghanMarkle