If you’ve seen an episode of Downton Abbey, it’s easy to believe that the English are tea-loving, London-living, posh-speaking people who have Queen Elizabeth on speed dial. We asked 6 English people to respond to ignorant questions about English culture to put the stereotypes to rest. This is what they had to say:
Don’t you live in London?
Sure, London is great - but England is so much broader and diverse than red telephone boxes, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. Our capital city might be a tourist hotspot, but it’s also incredibly expensive and, honestly, northern cities such as Manchester and Liverpool also deserve some of the attention!
“London is far too busy to live in, it’s rather just a nice place to visit!” – Lucy (Leeds)
“I’d rather just have a weekend away in London.” – Kylie (Lincolnshire)
“England is so much more than London but I understand why it’s always spoken about. It’s such a tourist place.” – Alex (Birmingham)
Have you met the Queen of England?
If I was close friends with the Queen of England, I wouldn’t be sitting in a boxy rented flat. Queen Elizabeth makes an annual television appearance at Christmas but, for most of us, that’s the only time that we ‘see’ her.
“Why is this a thing? Nobody asks Americans if they know Donald Trump on a personal level.” – Emily (Yorkshire)
“I think I’d rather meet Harry and Meghan in all honesty.” – Julia (Yorkshire)
“No. How would I even go about that?” – Chloe (Reading)
Why do you drink so much tea?
First and foremost, tea is great. Tired? Tea. Upset? Tea. Happy? Tea. However, we do obviously enjoy coffee, fizzy drinks, water and everything else. It’s a weird perception to think that Brits love tea so much that we have it flowing through our veins.
The obsession with tea in England actually started in the 1600s and was quickly adapted as a pastime by royals.
“Tea is good. It quenches your thirst.” – Kylie (Lincolnshire)
“Honestly, I don’t really like tea. I prefer coffee.” – Lucy (Leeds)
“Cuppa solves everything.” – Emily (Yorkshire)
Why are you always complaining about the weather?
The weather is our go-to conversation starter. Simple to talk about and it really gets us riled up. Nothing quite sparks engaging chat on the commute like complaining about the rain after a three day heat-wave (which we also complained about because it was too hot and now we’re red and sun-burnt).
“The rumours are true! The weather is genuinely dreadful for the majority of the year.” – Alex (Birmingham)
“It’s either too hot or it’s raining. There is no in-between and it’s just something to talk about if there is nothing else to say.” – Emily (Yorkshire)
“Haha! It’s such an easy conversation starter.” – Chloe (Reading)
Why do you form queues for everything?
A better question is, why aren’t you forming queues for everything? Orderly and fair is the way forward. We really do queue for everything - bus stops, shops, taking money out of the ATM machine…
“Is this not a universal thing? Why wouldn’t you queue? It would be chaos without queues!” – Julia (Yorkshire)
“Surely everybody must queue.” – Alex (Birmingham)
“I actually can’t imagine not queuing. How do you decide who is next to get served?” – Emily (Yorkshire)
Do all English men look like and behave like Hugh Grant or Colin Firth?
I’m yet to meet a man who even slightly resembles Hugh Grant, but I’ll let you know if I do. It’s a sweeping generalisation to assume that all English men are suave and sophisticated like Mark Darcy and Daniel Cleaver.
“I wish.” – Emily (Yorkshire)
“Just like anywhere, English men are all different. There isn’t a specific ‘type’.” – Chloe (Reading)
“I once had a Spanish girl ask me if English boys look like Harry Styles.” – Alex (Birmingham)
Do you have a British accent?
What is that? If you visit an English city and drive as little as two hours away from that city, the regional dialect will have changed at least twice! There are Scouse accents, Yorkshire accents, Cockney accents – the list goes on.
It really does just depend on the region that you happen to be in.
“I think that when people ask this, they’re referring to that posh kind of accent on TV. I don’t know anybody who speaks like that.” – Emily (Yorkshire)
“That depends if you’re north or south of England.” – Chloe (Reading)
“I know what people mean when they ask this. But, listen to how John Lennon spoke and listen to the way Harry Styles speaks. Completely different accents but they’re both English.” – Julia (Yorkshire)
Does everyone support a football team?
If you’re into football and sporting events, sure. If you’re not, it really isn’t that big of a deal. It’s just a way to connect with other people and often express loyalty to your home city.
English people love to attend or watch football games but it can also cause a lot of rivalry (for example, MAN UTD VS LFC).
“I think supporting a football team is just a way to bring people together and they can celebrate wins. I think it’s kind of nice.” – Alex (Birmingham)
“I’m not a huge football fan but I know so many people who are.” – Chloe (Reading)
“Football culture is huge, I absolutely agree with this.” – Emily (Yorkshire)