16 February 2021
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As lovers of history, Family Tree fans don’t need to be told how exciting the Regency era is. However, the recent smashing figures for Netflix phenomena Bridgerton are surprising nevertheless. Since the launch of season 1 on 25 December 2020, Bridgerton has had a remarkable 82 million views worldwide.
A romance set in Regency-inspired London, the scene is stylish and the costumes are opulent – very likely our Georgian ancestors would have approved. Some of the scenes, as the episodes progress, are a little racy (you have been warned!), but at its heart it’s a combination of love story and family/families’ saga. Usually historical novels, such as those in the 8-part Bridgerton series by author Julia Quinn, are aimed at an older female audience. Bridgerton, the Netflix series, has been created to appeal to Gen Z and Millennials, and the plan seems to have worked with #Bridgerton very popular on Instagram.
At a time when many of us are still confined to our homes, then a little escapism is sure to be welcomed, and this has been attributed as contributing to the Bridgerton success: the right series, at the right time.
As family historians, much as we love the historically-inspired (afterall history truly is inspiring isn’t it) we do seek to get our facts straight. So if you’d like to take a look at the attire of your Regency forebear, to discover the clothes they favoured, come along to Jayne Shrimpton’s webinar at 2pm on 3rd March.
To book your ticket (£10) and find out more, click here.
Season 2 is in the pipeline; season 1 of Bridgerton may be viewed at Netflix