10 facts about Bridgerton you may not know

There’s no denying that Bridgerton is one of Netflix’s best original series. From the compelling plot to the lovely cast and from the Regency romance to the scandalous twists, Bridgerton is truly everything you can possibly ever want in a show.

The period drama became everyone’s new obsession when it premiered on Netflix in 2020. Set in the 19th century, Bridgerton follows the competitive marriage market of Regency London high society, where upper-class debutantes and eligible bachelors hope to find suitable marriages.

As we head into the second season, we’ve been keeping ourselves occupied with all things Bridgerton. While searching all over the internet, we’ve come across some surprising and interesting facts about the show that we’d like to share with you.

1. Bridgerton features music from the 21st century

I’m not sure if you paid attention to the music played in the series, but many of the songs featured are modern songs that have been turned into classical covers. Some of the songs featured in the first season are “thank u, next” by Ariana Grande, “Girls Like You” by Maroon 5, “In My Blood” by Shawn Mendes, and “Wildest Dreams” by Taylor Swift.

2. Bridgerton shares filming locations with The Crown

If you’re an avid viewer of the original series The Crown and paid attention to the various settings in Bridgerton season 1, you probably noticed that both shows have similar scene settings. It’s because both period dramas shared the same backdrops.

Let’s use the Duke of Hastings home as an example. The Duke of Hastings house is actually Wilton House in Wiltshire. In The Crown, the same place is also used as Buckingham Palace.

3. Julie Andrews voices the role of Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton

It’s true! Lady Whistledown is narrated by THE Julie Andrews. You might recognize Andrews from movies such as The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, and The Princess Diaries, just to name a few. In my opinion, Andrews was the perfect person to be cast as the voice behind Lady Whistledown.

4. Some of the show’s iconic hairstyles were inspired by real-life celebrities

The period drama’s hair and makeup artist, Marc Pilcher, spoke with Insider in January 2021 and said that he based Daphne’s curled bangs on Audrey Hepburn’s from the historical drama film War and Peace. Other inspired looks from the period drama include Lady Featherington’s updo being inspired by Elizabeth Taylor and Queen Charlotte’s afro being based on Beyonce’s hair in Austin Powers.

5. The Bridgerton family members are named alphabetically

There are eight children in the family and the order goes like this: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth. Violet Bridgerton mentions in one of the episodes in season 1 that she named her kids in alphabetical order because it seemed orderly.

6. Queen Charlotte was not in the Bridgerton books

Queen Charlotte spends her time tracking down the gossip writer Lady Whistledown in the series, but none of this actually occurred in the books that the show is based on because Queen Charlotte was not in any of them. She was a character created just for the period drama series.

7. Queen Charlotte is based on an actual historical figure

Queen Charlotte might not have been in the books, but she definitely was a pleasant addition to the series. She’s actually based on the real Queen Charlotte, the ruler of the Regency Era from 1761 to 1818 and wife of King George III.

8. Adjoa Andoh helped create Lady Danbury’s signature look

Adjoa Andoh, who plays Lady Danbury in Bridgerton, spoke with New African magazine and said that she requested the hat and cane that viewers see Lady Danbury with in the series. She said, “If you look at Regency men of that period, they would always have a cane and a hat. For me, the fact that she’s a widow meant that I wanted her to embody some of the masculine within her feminine.”

9. Jonathan Bailey first auditioned to play the Duke of Hastings

Jonathan Bailey, who we all know as Viscount Anthony Bridgerton, originally went up for the role of Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page) and made it very far in the casting process until he met the showrunner and producers. After a discussion, they decided that Jonathan made a better Anthony Bridgerton and the role of Simon Basset went to Regé-Jean Page.

10. There were hidden, meaningful symbols in the Bridgerton costumes

If you were paying close attention to some of the costumes in the period drama, you’d notice that some costumes had a bee symbol and others had a butterfly symbol. More specifically, a bee symbol would appear on the Bridgerton family’s clothing, and the butterfly symbol would appear on the Featheringtons’ clothing. For example, a bee was embroidered onto Benedict’s collar. Also, the butterfly is often seen on Penelope’s gowns. This was intentional.

As reported by Marie Claire, the bee represents power and hard work, while the butterfly is a symbol of rebirth and growth. The special symbols are well-suited for each family.

Bridgerton season 2 is coming to Netflix on March 25!