George III was King of England from 1760-1820 (same King portrayed in Hamilton)
George III was a well-liked King until he got sick in 1788-89 and then one more time in 1801 before being declared permanently deranged in 1810. His son, the Prince of Wales, became the Prince Regent until George died in 1820.
(Oprah Daily,By McKenzie Jean-Philippe)
He was married to Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (same Queen portrayed in Bridgerton)
Women of status and rank (as well as daughters of clergymen, doctors, and officers) would be presented to the Queen at St. James' Palace to signify their coming out to society.
The Royal Family influenced fashion trends of the time, and from then on, the role of celebrity and style icons began to grow and develop well in the late 18th century.
Fun Fact: In 1768, George III founded and paid the initial costs of the Royal Academy of Arts. Yay Arts!
Georgian Era Military
The military was considered a respectable profession for the gentry.
Gentlemen purchased officer commissions for between 400 and 5000 pounds up to the rank of Colonel.
Commissions had to be bought between the ages of 16 and 21.
The cavalry was more revered than the infantry and had very fancy uniforms. The three types of Cavalry were Dragoons, Hussars, and Lancers.
Colonel Brandon was likely a lancer in the cavalry given the respect for his character and the mention of his shoulder aching, which could be from carrying and feeling the impact from his lance.
18th Century Etiquette
The customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group.
When walking with a lady on a street, the man walks on the outside.
If a man comes across a lady he's acquainted with, he waits for her to acknowledge him first.
If the lady wants to have a conversation, she must speak first.
If the man knows the lady and also wants to talk, he walks with her. No standing and talking!
When going up the stairs, the man precedes the lady, when going down, he follows.
In carriages, the man faces backward, and does not sit next to the lady unless they are married or family. He gets out first to help her out.
A man is always introduced to a lady, not the other way around.
A lady under 30 may not spend time alone with a man. They must always be chaperoned.
A lady may not walk unaccompanied except for a walk to church or a park in the early morning.
A lady must never “cut” someone (not acknowledge them) unless they are already acquainted and she has decided she does not wish to keep their acquaintance.
School of Manners, 1701
Garretson, John.The School of Manners, Harry N. Abrams, 1983.
Regiments consisted of 750 or more men divided amongst 8-10 companies. Each company was led by a Captain, except for 3 that are led by the regimental leadership.
The leaders of each regiment from most command to least were the colonel, lieutenant colonel, and major. They also had regimental support officers like the adjutant, quartermaster, and surgeon.
The rations were small and soldiers were often sick and hungry. They were expected to grow and purchase additional food to get the vitamins that the rations lacked.