Officially, the “Regency” in England refers to the time from 1811-1820 when George, Prince of Wales, served as regent after his father, George III, was declared unfit to rule. The Price Regent later became King George IV, ruling from 1820-1830. However, the “Regency Era” has been used to refer to a much longer period, as long as 1795-1837, in which a distinct style in art, architecture, furniture, fashion and culture developed. It was the time of Jane Austen, scandalous fashion, war with Napolean, and the growth of technology. It is also the setting for many romances in which love conquers all, even duty and money.
Links to More Information:
The Regency – Wikipedia’s overview of the Regency Era.
Regency World – Author and history buff Candice Hern’s guide to all things Regency.
Write Like Jane Austen – Type in any word and find out if Regency-era author Jane Austen used it in any of her novels. If not, you’ll get a suggestion for a synonym she might have used.
Almack’s – The focus of every debutante’s hopes and dreams. A voucher to Almack’s was essential to a marriage-seeking miss’s success.
Other Resources
An Elegant Madness: High Society in Regency England by Venetia Murray
Fashion in the Time of Jane Austen by Sarah Jane Downing
Georgette Heyer’s Regency World by Jennifer Kloester
Jane Austen’s Guide to Good Manners: Compliments, Charades & Horrible Blunders by Josephine Ross (author) and Henrietta Webb (illustrator)
Our Tempestuous Day: A History of Regency England by Carolly Erickson