Yes?

Wait you hear how us Canadians pronounce Lieutenant. I am almost 70. I was taught in school (Canadian) that is how you spell colour armour and a whole lot more. So easily forgotten things are after a couple/ of decades with our present and eroding school systems.

It's not random. Source am American that reads a lot.

Noah Webster, in his efforts to standardize American English, simplified spellings by removing the "u" in words like "colour," "honour," and "favour".

I spell most words the British way. But it's gray, not grey.