Netflix Bridgerton 3rd Season
On the Bridgerton Set, 3rd Season
I had always hoped to be on the set of Netflix's Bridgerton 3rd Season some day and voilà, in September 2022, I was invited onto the set as a consultant to advise on matters of civility and etiquette of Regency-era England.
On a brisk October morning a car was sent to pick me up and take me to the secret destination.
Having seen both Series 1 and 2, I felt a sense of nostalgia as I stepped into the drawing room of the illustrous Bridgerton family. Everything seemed so familiar. Dressed in a Regency-era gown (thankfully I was spared the corset,) I felt right as home as I started teaching those on set about the gentility and finesse of that period.
Indeed, a woman’s reputation was ‘as brittle as it was beautiful.' There were rules for almost everything, from walking down the street to eating and dancing, and failure to stay within the lines of decency could stain a lady’s character forever.
Regency-Era England
Why was it called the Regency Period?
The period is named after George, Prince Regent, the temporary king of Great Britain while his father, George III, was ill. The Regency Period officially lasted nine years, from 1811 to 1820, and saw the rise of many well-known authors and styles of art, including Jane Austen and Regency Classicism.
During this period, overt displays of emotion were frowned upon, as were public outburts and excessive laughter although if confronted with vulgarity, it was acceptable for a lady to have the vapours, faint or suffer from hysteria. A well- bred person, however, would always behave with elegance and ease....
The Regency era was obsessed with correct posture, from sitting to standing and walking, and a well-bred young lady had to move with grace and ease at all times. She was never awkward in either manner or behaviour and would approach any social situation with confidence and elegance. A well-bred person would behave favourably with both an acquaintance and stranger alike, but those who presumed too great a familiarity were kept at bay.
