Real life butler to King Charles shares the one bit of royal etiquette Bridgerton gets totally wrong

According to an actual former butler to King Charles, Bridgerton is getting some of its royal etiquette totally wrong. You know what, if anyone’s going to know, it’s him.

We all know Bridgerton isn’t completely accurate to history. There are historical errors, timeline blunders and all sorts. But one thing it should be getting right is how the characters behaved in that era.

King Charles’ former royal butler and leading etiquette coach Grant Harrold has revealed where the Netflix show actually gets things wrong. One really annoying detail? How the characters serve tea.

via Netflix

“In episode one, Sophie is seen serving the tea by setting up a tea station to the side of the guests. This is how it would be done at a royal event or a large gathering,” Grant said. “But there are a few common mistakes in this scene. For example, Sophie slammed the biscuits down on the table, which isn’t proper etiquette. Although there is a reason her character behaved that way.

“Her stepsisters also held their cups incorrectly. They should hold the cup by the handle, without lifting the saucer. The saucer acts as a coaster at the tea table. At a low table or with a stool, you pick up the whole set, the cup, saucer, and spoon. You use a pinch grip on the handle and take a sip while gazing at your tea, not around the room. Then, you return the cup to the saucer and place the whole set back on the table.” How dare they!

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via Netflix

But that’s not all. Tea is back in later episodes, and is causing controversy all over again. Grant continued: “In a later episode, Sophie brings in the tea, but the handling of the tea isn’t quite right. For starters, she should have used a silver tray. Carrying a teapot by hand is impractical, as the pot would be far too hot, and you could easily burn yourself.

“The way she pours is also incorrect. She’s holding the lid with her whole hand, but traditionally, you just rest a fingertip on the lip of the teapot to keep it secure while pouring. Interestingly, though, the cups themselves are being held correctly in this scene by the stepsisters. The correct etiquette should have been consistent throughout.”

Right, now I have to go back and rewatch every single episode involving tea.

Bridgerton is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.