Artists and aristocrats: Georgians in television and film
We discuss eight programmes and films that explore the legendary lives of Georgian historical figures.
Image: Following the success of 'Bridgerton', a spin-off series focused on Queen Charlotte's youthful romance with George III | Public Domain
The Georgian Kings belong to one of the most dysfunctional royal dynasties in British history. Loved and loathed by the public in equal measure, their scandals, backstabbings, feuds and betrayals shaped an entire era of British history. Mayhem! The Scandalous Lives of the Georgian Kings starts Monday, 3rd February on Sky HISTORY.
‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.’
This was Charles Dickens’ description of the Georgian era, and it’s a fitting one. The 18th century was a time of contradictions, bringing to Britain both suffering like that of the Gin Craze and beauty like the luxurious fashions of the rich.
So, it’s no surprise that kings, nobles and artists from the Georgian age make such fascinating subjects for the screen. Join us at Sky HISTORY as we explore eight movies and television programmes that dramatise the lives of real Georgians from history.
The Madness of King George
The 1994 film The Madness of King George tells one of the most shocking stories from the UK’s royal history – the tale of how George III battled severe mental illness, causing his son to be named Prince Regent from 1811 to 1820. The film chronicles the brutal treatments that George received in an attempt to cure him. It also explores his difficult relationship with the future George IV.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Of course, one person deeply affected by George III’s troubles was Queen Charlotte, his loving and beloved wife. Unlike many other kings, George was faithful and kept no mistresses.
After Queen Charlotte appeared as a more minor character in the popular Bridgerton television series, she was given a spinoff series of her own – Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The programme goes beyond Bridgerton’s Regency era timeframe to portray the queen’s youthful romance with her husband as well as the problems of her later life.
The Duchess
You might not have heard of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. But this lady was prominent in society and fashion in the latter half of the 18th century. In fact, she was a figure of scandal – as the film chronicling her life depicts.
The Duchess fictionalises the real-life extramarital relationships of the duchess and her husband with Lady Elizabeth Foster and Charles Grey, future prime minister – and the man after whom Earl Grey tea was named.
Bright Star
‘Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art’ – these were the opening lines of a poem by John Keats, the Romantic poet who lived for just 25 years near the close of the Georgian era. During his lifetime, his talent was not recognised. But in the years after his early death from tuberculosis, he came to be seen as a genius.
Bright Star, a film that takes its name from the poem, focuses on Keats’ love for his neighbour, Frances Brawne, amid the tragedy of his fast-progressing disease.
Belle
The movie Belle tells the story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, a lady often described as Britain’s first Black aristocrat. Dido’s parents were Maria Bell, a Black woman, and the white naval officer Sir John Lindsay. It is believed that Maria Bell was enslaved when she and Lindsay met.
Dido Belle was raised as a gentlewoman by her father’s uncle, William Murray, the Earl of Mansfield. In 1779, Belle and her white cousin Lady Elizabeth Murray were portrayed in a now-famous painting as having almost equal status. This portrait and its symbolism are a central focus of the film Belle.
Interestingly, Lord Mansfield was the judge who decided the influential Somerset vs Stewart case, which helped pave the way for the abolition of slavery in Britain.
Becoming Jane
Still popular and beloved today, Jane Austen’s novels are concerned with society, love and the fortunes of gentlewomen in the Regency era. Yet though she wrote romances that have resonated over the centuries, Austen herself never married.
Becoming Jane offers a fictionalised account of the real-life romance between Jane Austen and Thomas Lefroy, who later became Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. The film aims to explain why their relationship did not endure and why Austen chose to remain single.
Blackadder the Third
The Georgian-era instalment of the comedy television programme Blackadder sees the eponymous Edmund Blackadder serving as butler to the Prince Regent, who would later become George IV.
While Blackadder himself is a fictional creation, this classic series presents many real historical figures with a comedic twist – such as William Pitt the Younger, shown onscreen becoming Prime Minister as a teenager, rather than at his real 24 years of age. Other famous Georgians featured in the series include Wellington and Samuel Johnson.
Horrible Histories
If we’re discussing historical comedy, of course we can’t forget to mention Horrible Histories. This television series offers entertaining facts about Georgian life as well as portraying famous Georgians like the highwayman Dick Turpin and the kings of the Georgian era. Horrible Histories stands out among the productions on our list because it features George I and II, who appear far less often in media than their descendants George III and IV.
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