Harry’s ‘American drawl’: Prince’s new rising inflection, ‘blending of words’, and ‘overkill gesticulation’ show he is copying Meghan’s Californian accent, behaviour expert claims
- Judi James said being in lockdown with Meghan would have sped up changes
- Said it was ‘particularly pronounced’ during his interview with Oprah Winfrey
- Also noted by Twitter users, one of whom wrote: ‘Harry’s accent has gone to LA!’
Prince Harry has adopted elements of an American accent, with a rising inflection and ‘blending of words’, a behaviour expert said today.
Judi James said being in lockdown with Meghan Markle would have sped up his adoption of Californian English, as she also noted his ‘overkill gesticulation’ with his hands while speaking.
The change was also noted by social media users as they watched yesterday’s bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview, with one writing, ‘Harry’s accent has gone to LA!’.
Judi James said being in lockdown with Meghan Markle would have sped up his adoption of Californian English, as she also noted his ‘overkill gesticulation’ with his hands while speaking
The change was also noted by social media users as they watched yesterday’s bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview, with one writing, ‘Harry’s accent has gone to LA!’
James, a leading communication and body language expert, told MailOnline: ‘Harry has been in lockdown with Meghan and he clearly adores her so it would be natural for him to pick up on some of her way of speaking, too.
‘Once lockdown ends and he is socialising with other US people I’d expect it to be even more dramatic. ‘You can see that through a couple of things, ”I” comes out as ”Ay” and when he says ”herself” he stresses the ”self”.’
‘He uses a scooping ritual with his vocal tone, scooping it into a rise at the end, turning statements into questions via vocal tone.
”Together’ has a linger on the ”r” as in ”Togetherr” and he blends two words together sometimes to create that slight drawl.’
One Twitter user noticed how Harry pronounces security ‘securidy’.
James said the changes were ‘especially pronounced’ during the Oprah interview, and that his ‘overkill gesticulation’ was particularly notable.
One Twitter user noticed how Harry pronounces security ‘securidy’, as others commented on his ‘American twinge’
She said Prince Harry’s accent is likely to change more in the future.
‘I would have expected this accent change to have been more pronounced though, to be honest,’ she said.
‘Harry, like many of us, has a tendency to adapt to his surroundings by mirroring and it was a trait that his mother Diana was good at too.
‘It can help create rapport as long as it’s not too obvious [eg Tony Blair’s mockney accent] and Harry was seen dressing like James Corden and rapping and jumping about in an echo of his behaviour during that interview.’
It appears some of Harry’s ways of speaking are rubbing off on Meghan as well, with the Duchess reportedly picking up a number of British phrases during her two years in the UK.
James said the changes were ‘especially pronounced’ during the Oprah interview – as Twitter users also noticed
Sources working in the Duke and Duchess’s £11million mansion in Santa Barbara, California, said Meghan regularly uses certain very British words.
One told The Sun last year: ‘She has adopted certain phrases. She’s often heard saying ‘oh dahling’.’
The mansion’s staff members mimic Meghan’s new turns of phrase, but in a friendly way, it was claimed.
‘They do have a giggle about it and sometimes they do impressions of her but only in a light-hearted way,’ they added.