Why American Women Love British Men

Chances are you’ve had at least one British celebrity crush in your lifetime. The phenomenon of American women loving British men is so prevalent that Taylor Swift has joined the club. Her longtime boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, is British, and she sings about her love of the Brits in her 2019 song “London Boy.”

She sings, “You know I love a London boy / I enjoy walkin' Camden Market in the afternoon / He likes my American smile, like a child when our eyes meet / Darling, I fancy you / Took me back to Highgate, met all of his best mates / So I guess all the rumors are true / You know I love a London boy / Boy, I fancy you.”

What is it about British men that makes American women swoon? 

We Perceive British Accents as Sophisticated and Mysterious

In a plot twist that anyone could have seen coming, British accents play a significant role in why American women love British men. We often associate things that sound beautiful to be good (similar to how the halo effect leads us to believe that attractive men are inherently good), and is there anything more charming than a man with a British accent? But why do we find British accents to be so charming?

Much of British media and pop culture covers the royal family, and shows like Downton Abbey and The Tudors showcase how the fabulously wealthy lived back in the day. This makes us associate the British accent with intelligence and sophistication. According to psychotherapist Guy Winch, we tend to view foreign accents as mysterious and sexy. Our culture views British accents as “more intelligent, more sophisticated, and more competent – and those are all qualities that a lot of people find attractive.” It’s not much different than our fascination with other foreign accents, but the fact that the British speak the same language as we do makes them seem foreign yet familiar.

In a 2018 article in The Independent UK, a British man and an American woman were interviewed about how British accents play a role in the dating world. The British man said, "Being British in New York is like dating on easy mode. I used to put 'English accent' on my Tinder profile, and it really worked. I got more matches, went on more dates, and when I arrived at a bar and spoke for the first time, 9 times out of 10 the women seemed to really like it. I even ended up in a relationship with a woman who often jokingly called me 'exotic.'"

The American woman’s response backed up the British man’s claims. She said, “It is just an attractive accent. It sounds more proper than Americans, and you’re not used to hearing it. It is proper but sexy, so you want to keep listening.”

Remember in Love Actually when Colin (Kris Marshall) wanted to take a trip to the United States because he was convinced that he’d have better luck with American women? His best friend, Tony (Abdul Salis), thinks he’s nuts, but it ends up working. Though Colin isn’t particularly charming or good-looking, the American women thought his British accent was sexy and mysterious, which led him to have greater success with women in America than with women in Britain.

While it’s true that not all British men fit the suave stereotype (*cough* Colin from Love Actually) and that not all American women find British accents endearing, you can see how much Americans love the Brits through pop culture.

We Love British Pop Culture

From the royals to shows like Downton Abbey, and from musicians like Harry Styles to actors like Henry Cavill and Idris Elba, it’s no secret that Americans are obsessed with British pop culture. British pop culture has had a massive impact on American pop culture in recent decades, especially with the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter franchises.

Most millennials and younger members of Gen Z grew up reading the Harry Potter books and watching the subsequent movies, and the franchise is still popular today. With millennials introducing their children to the franchise and Harry Potter nostalgia at an all-time high due to the popularity of Hogwarts Legacy, the magic will continue for years to come. 

Harry Potter isn’t the only British phenomenon that evokes nostalgia. British music has been popular in the United States for decades, mainly starting in the 1960s with The Beatles. One Direction was massively popular in the early 2010s for several reasons, from boy band nostalgia to the fact that there is something super charming about four attractive British (and one Irish) guys singing about the importance of inner beauty. The Beatles and One Direction are two of the most popular bands of all time, and it’s impossible to divorce them from nostalgia culture and British culture. 

How Pop Culture Paints British Men

The portrayal of British men in popular culture also plays a role. Some of the greatest romantic leads in history (you know we love Mr. Darcy) are British. British male leads in romantic comedies like Hugh Grant in Notting Hill and Jude Law in The Holiday unconsciously make us believe that British men are more romantic. 

One woman told Elle, "It's definitely those English romances that make British guys seem so attractive, funny, witty, and proper." The author of the article continues, “It's certainly true for me and other American women who live by Jane Austen's canon and never miss an episode of Downton Abbey: We're primed to put English men on a pedestal.” 

Romantic comedies aren’t the only genre that has painted British men in a positive light. James Bond is as suave and classically masculine as they come, so it’s no wonder that we love the stereotype of the suave British gentleman.

Lastly, it’s impossible to deny the effect that the royal family has had on American pop culture. Who didn’t have a crush on Prince William or Prince Harry at one point? Our culture’s love of the royals has inevitably led us to historical love stories with the aristocracy at the center. Downton Abbey took us back to a time when chivalry was very much alive, women wore stunning dresses, and men dressed in the most dapper suits you could imagine. Bridgerton might be historically inaccurate, but we love the fashion, and the male leads are to die for. The trope of the gentlemanly British aristocrat may only pertain to an elite few, but it’s hard to deny that it’s one of the many tropes of British men in popular culture that have won us over.

Closing Thoughts

From the posh and sexy accent to the stereotype of the suave British gentleman in pop culture, it’s easy to see why American women love British men. Next time you find yourself swooning over the men in Bridgerton and have the sudden urge to book a flight to London, know that you’re not alone.

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