Google has revealed what the UK was searching for in 2017 - and Meghan Markle is at the top of the list.
The actor, whose engagement to Prince Harry was announced last month, piqued the nation’s interest more than Hurricane Irma, the general election and even the iPhone 8, according to the net giant’s Year in Search report.
Article continues belowThe Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
- Meghan Markle
- iPhone 8
- Hurricane Irma
- Fidget spinner
- Manchester bombing
- Grenfell Tower
- 13 Reasons Why
- Tara Palmer Tomkinson
- Shannon Matthews
- iPhone X
Search patterns can also chart how people reacted to some of the major stories of the year. For instance, the aftermath of the Manchester Arena attack and the blaze at Grenfell Tower saw “spikes in search interest for volunteering and donating to related causes”, Google said.
But if the top search terms were dominated by the headlines, the questions we were asking Google were of a more light-hearted nature:
Top trending ‘How To’ queries:
- How to make slime?
- How to buy Bitcoin?
- How to stay young?
- How to watch Mayweather vs McGregor?
- How to watch Joshua vs Klitschko?
- How to mine Bitcoins?
- How to make Yorkshire pudding?
- How to make a fidget spinner?
- How to vote in the general election?
- How to lose belly fat fast?
Google also measured the most popular queries in specific categories across entertainment, lifestyle and sport:
Most searched-for film: Beauty and the Beast
Recipe: Chilli con carne
Song: Shape of You, Ed Sheeran
TV show: 13 Reasons Why
Premier League team: Manchester United