Bridgerton has been a global favourite in recent years, gaining massive popularity for its costumes and set designs. The Regency era drama has been a Netflix phenomenon since its release date in 2020. Every
season features a new storyline that centres around one of the siblings of the Bridgerton clan and their respective journeys in falling in love. However, there is ongoing debate over whether the creators of Bridgerton aim to ensure historical accuracy. Shonda Rhimes, the executive producer, does state that it’s a drama
based on history. However, the show features significant deviations from the realities of the Regency Era.
The show is set between the years of 1811 and 1820 when Britain was at its peak of political
power in Europe. Britain had just won the Napoleonic wars and the ‘Ton’ was flourishing. In
Bridgerton you can see the elaborate costumes and balls which highlight the opulence of the age. However, the main debates over the accuracy of Bridgerton centre around the costumes, characters, class structure and Lady Whistledown.
Bridgerton is known for its costumes, and it can be argued that certain aspects of their design may be considered historically accurate. For example, the designers of the show put the women in empire-waisted gowns with square
necklines—a style of dress that was popularised at the time by Empress Josephine of France.
However, the designers also made the key decision to dress the character of Queen
Charlotte in a different style, opting for the more traditional gowns and fuller skirts associated with the Georgian era. In an interview, the costume designer for the show said that she tried to carry on the story through the costumes by expressing their moods and character growth. Thus, the costumes are not intended to be 100%
accurate to the Regency era but instead inspired by what the women would have worn at the time.
One main criticism from experts is the lack of hats. Bonnets were very popular and were
seen as a way of looking more put together. The Bridgerton women are rarely seen wearing
hats and there is more of a focus on what their hair looks like. For example, the elaborate hairstyles of the character Cressida Cowper.
Another historically accurate element of the show is its characters. King George III
and Queen Charlotte were real people who ruled Britain in the Regency era. The Queen did
have a prominent role in the control of the Ton, however, her son, King George IV, had a much
bigger role than the show indicates, as he was the regent at the time. Also, the phrase used in the show ‘the diamond of the first water’ was never used historically, but it was accurate that all women entering society would
have to be presented to the Queen. This was crucial for young girls, as marrying well was significantly important for their futures. The Regency era rigorously upheld stereotypical gender roles, leaving
women reliant on men for stability. At these events, such as balls and promenading, women
were on display and became local beauties, often written about in the newspapers.
Class structure and hierarchy were notable facets in the 1800s as there were very strict rules that
women had to follow. This can be seen in Bridgerton, as the unmarried female characters are required to be
chaperoned when they are in the company of men. During the stage of courtship, if women didn’t
follow the rules, they risked scandal for their whole family. Bridgerton portrays this well during
Daphne and the Duke’s courtship, as they are forced to get married after being caught
alone in the gardens at a ball.
The gossip column of Lady Whistledown also has some historically accurate features. In the
Regency era they did have gossip papers that would have been spread around town for
important families to read. The newspapers would discuss the local scandals, romances
and adulteries however the people involved would not be specifically disclosed, unlike the brazen revelations of Lady Whistledown. The writers would never expose the people they were writing about and instead just put their initials. This would mean that a lot of the information that was being spread could never be tied to a
specific family.
Ultimately, Bridgeton can be seen to be somewhat historically accurate. Although the show takes inspiration from historical events and fashion in its creation of a Regency-era drama, its aim is not to be entirely accurate but to create epic storylines that entertain the audience.