Historical Fiction is a wildly popular genre. Some movies and television series that fall under the umbrella strive for complete historical accuracy, others, like Bridgerton and Downton Abbey occupy a historical alternative universe, which allows them to take some liberties where casting and even plotlines are concerned. The increasing popularity of these alternative timelines begs the question: Exactly how faithful do these programs really need to be when it comes to history? 

A recent Twitter thread from a fashion historian highlighted this particular query quite nicely. This past weekend, Twitter user @HottyCouture composed a painstakingly detailed account of the historical inaccuracies in the new Bridgerton prequel, Queen Charlotte. While the thread focuses mainly on the portraits that hang in the show’s opulent film locations, @HottyCouture also mentions some issues with the show’s costuming choices.