Little did New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn know, as she was plotting out the foundations of her first Bridgerton novel - The Duke And I - just how much of a stir her narrative would cause more than two decades later. Julia was sitting in her local Starbucks when she got a call from her agent to say that Shonda Rhimes was interested in the rights to her Bridgerton book series. 'It was almost exactly four years ago today that I got that call,' remembers Julia, who is speaking to me on Zoom in Seattle whilst the rest of the world succumbs to Bridgerton fever, 'I've just been so fortunate. Everything single thing that could have gone right did. As an author it's not unusual to have the rights to your books optioned but it's rare for anything to happen after that. This was the first time that anything of mine had been optioned and all I heard after that was good news; it had been picked by by Netflix, I heard Julia Andrews had come on board, things couldn't have gone better.' The Dame Julie Andrews factor was huge. 'I think I pretty much stopped breathing when I heard,' enthuses Julia, 'I could not believe it.'
READ MORE: 7 Things You Need To Know About Bridgerton From Someone Who's Read ALL The Books. Twice
Fast forward four years to 2021 and Bridgerton has hit the big time. The show is well on the way to setting Netflix records for its long stint at #1 and in the Top 10 and has captured hearts the world over. Does Julia attribute any portion of the series' success to its much celebrated 'colour blind' casting? 'I think the first thing that is important to understand is that it's better to think of it as "colour conscious" casting because "colour blind" implies there was no thought given to colour and that's just not true. It was important to everyone involved that there was diversity and inclusion in all areas of the show, from the cast, to the writers' room to the director's chair.'
The team were able to take my books and make them bigger and more beautiful than I could have ever envisioned
'The collaborative nature of TV and film means that you have hundreds of people contributing to the creative process. You pull from everyone's imagination, everyone's experiences and that's just wonderful. The team were able to take my books and make them bigger and more beautiful than I could have ever envisioned.'
READ MORE: A Day In The Life Of Daphne Bridgerton's Micro Fringe. No Really
As Consulting Producer on the Bridgerton series Julia was on hand to offer advice to the show's creatives from day dot. 'There's not a whole lot of consulting to be done when the scripts are that good though!' admits Julia, who despite her self deprecation was instrumental in hitting the historical accuracies on the head. There was clearly nothing Julia loved more than spending time on set too, 'I had so much fun,' she smiles, 'I just loved watching everything, oh and drinking the free lattes! The free lattes are still a novelty for me.'
Despite the social constraints of the time her novels are set in, Julia Quinn always writes strong female leads, is there a flavour of feminism in Bridgerton? 'My characters aren't necessarily going to be the ones banging on the door of a university crying to be let in because the Regency era was too early for them to be dreaming that far ahead. It's in the smaller things. For a woman in Regency England to be thinking "that's not fair", that's a big deal. For a woman at that time to even entertain thoughts about the power she has and the power she can make for herself in a society that strips her of almost all power and gives it to her father or husband, you can't underestimate that.'
Julia also notes Daphne's seminal feminist moment in the Netflix series that was likely subtle enough to pass most of us by. 'It's when Daphne realises that she can use her new position in society as a Duchess to help Marina. That was a very powerful moment. Daphne's first reaction when she hears of Marina's situation is utter distaste, she's got pregnant by another man and tried to trap her brother into marriage, but Daphne quickly begins to think about how Marina came to be in that position and the unjustness of it all. What's really feminist about this moment is that Daphne begins to realise how much of society is framed in a way that automatically places the blame on women and how unfair that is. I often feel that the women thinking this way were the proto-protofeminists. They were the ones slowly taking the bricks out of the wall so that their descendants could come along later and knock it down.'
To paraphrase Lady Whistledown, it has come to my attention dear readers, that Julia Quinn has a close link to a certain Gloria Steinem. 'She dated my father in law for almost a decade,' No big deal right? 'She was essentially a stepmother figure to my husband so I like to say my husband came pre-trained. It was quite a moment when I found that out, which was fairly early on in the relationship.'
'She's so wonderful, she's really one of the most inspiring people I know. I had dinner with her three or four years ago in New York and a waiter came over to express his sincere gratitude to her and what she'd done for him, his friends and the movement, he was gushing and she was so gracious about it. I asked her whether that sort of thing happened every day and she said "yeah, most every day".'
I'll never be as busy as Gloria Steinem, I can guarantee that!'
'It's so lovely to see someone celebrated like that and she's just this tiny person in real life, she's amazing.' Has she read Bridgerton though? 'She certaily has the books, I don't know whether she's read it though,' replies Julia, 'She's a pretty busy person!'. Surely Julia herself has been thrust into the eye of a media storm recently? 'I'll never be as busy as Gloria Steinem, I can guarantee that!'. We'll see about that Julia. With seven more Bridgerton series books to cover it seemed likely from the start that the Netflix smash hit would extend into multiple seasons. Season 2 is confirmed (hurrah!) and Julia might not have had the official nod just yet - 'I'm just as much in the dark as you are so I have no tea to spill!' - but we're pinning our hopes on a Season 3 too.
Browse: The Best Bidgerton Hairstyles And What They Say About Each Character
Best Hairstyles In Bridgerton
1 of 11Daphne Bridgerton The Debutante
Daphne Bridgerton enters society as a debutante via her presentation to the Queen. The occoasion at the start of each season in London was an elaborate affair and important in setting the tone for each lady's season and prospects on the marriage mart. Daphne wears her hair curled in the latest fashions, leaves her neck exposed (this was thought the most elegant part of a woman's body at the time) and wears her family jewels to best represent the Bridgerton name. The message? Daphne Bridgerton is a viable contender to be named the season's diamond of the first water.
2 of 11Eloise Bridgerton
Eloise Bridgerton is yet to make her debut in society. As such she is not soliciting callers and not yet looking for marriage. Her hair and her hemlines are both sound signals. Her hair is left to drop over her shoulders as was the fashion for children of the time, rather than being tied up to reveal a more adult and elegant stretch of neck.
3 of 11Daphne Bridgerton At Home
Home life for a lady out in society called for modesty. Here Daphne eschews her fine hair accessories and jewels (which might be deemed vulgar outside of a ball) for a simple half-up-half-down do, which signals her adulthood whilst speaking to her purity - an essential trait in the marriage mart.
4 of 11Lady Danbury
Lady Danbury hails from an era that followed the fashions of France to the letter. Women in England copied the towering powdered hairstyles that became so popular at the court of Versailles (think Marie Antoinette). That Lady Danbury's hairstyle is, in comparison to those fashions, unelaborate and modest, unpowdered and entirely elegant speaks to her character. We must assume, from her hairstyle, that this woman is unfussy, forthright an forward thinking.
5 of 11Marina Thompson
Here Marina Thompson wears flowers in her hair, speaking to her love of the outdoors and appreciation of nature. Women of the time were required to be accomplished. Most learned to play an instrument, all took up needlework, many drew and a few studied botany. There was a focus on the outdoors and English countryside during the Regency period as the Napoleonic wars very much closed society off from travel. Society's gaze turned from exploring the continent to making the most of the great outdoors on their doorstep. In wearing flowers in her hair Marina appears at once fashionable and modest.
6 of 11Anthony Bridgerton
Don't for one minute think that men put any less thought into their hairstyles during the Regency period than women. Men like Beau Brummell became celebrities of the time and set fashions as keenly as the A-listers of today. In wearing their sideburns bold and their hair on top long they sought to channel the power of the warriors of Ancient Greece. And who better to wear a power-heavy haircut than Lord Bridgerton?
7 of 11Penelope Featherington
We'd hazard a guess that if Penelope Featherington had things her way her hair would be styled in the more fashionable, less-is-more way like Daphne. As it is she's under the rule of Lady Featherington and her hair appears more in the style of the elaborate French courtiers of the late eighteenth century. Penelope's hairstyle at the time would have been seen as outdated and a little OTT - more a reflection of her mother than Penelope we think.
8 of 11Cressida Cowper
Cressida Cowper's high and elaborate hairstyles make her look severe and intimidating - if that's not a true reflection of her Briderton character we don't know what is! Ladies of the time would be helped to dress for balls by their lady's maid and it's clear Cressida's is required to devote a lot of time to her hair. Her accessories and elaborate style speak to both her wealth, and her determination to snag a husband before the season is out.
9 of 11Benedict Bridgerton
Benedict Bridgerton's hair doesn't boast the bold sideburns of his brother Lord Bridgerton, but that subtle sweeping of the hair on top is reminiscent of the style of the Romantic poets that became popular towards the end of the Regency period. Benedict is an artist and his hair speaks to his creativity.
10 of 11Colin Bridgerton
Colin is the second youngest Bridgerton boy and it is evident he feels free of the duties that both his older brothers Anthony and Benedict feel bound to. As such his hairstyle appears a longer, livelier and more playful.
11 of 11Queen Charlotte
Regality. That is the message that emanates from Queen Charlotte's hair and rightly so. As an older woman the Queen would likely have adhered to the fashions of her youth, meaning the bold, high, powdered wigs of the late eighteenth century, before the days of the French revolution when the English studiously followed the fashions of France and the decadence of the court at Versailles was entirely a la mode.
READ MORE: Phoebe Dynevor's Entire Bridgerton Make-Up Routine Featuring A £9 Hero Brow Buy