The Last Betrayal - Plight of the Huguenots

Back cover blurb:

Versailles depicts the very essence of King Louis XIV, but amidst secret executions, abductions, and imprisonments, two men have served Louis’ every whim, never questioning the why of it, now one of those men has imprisoned the other at the king’s command. Has Lady Fate or the hand of God provided a chance escape to King Louis’ former Intelligencer, and can revenge ever be sweet for king or commoner? With the past revisited and finally laid to rest, love blossoms as a new life beckons, and the lovers pray they can cross the border to safety. With the revocation of the Edict of Nantes a tidal wave of fear has swept across France, thus a secret society formed by Huguenot merchants from within safe havens abroad assists those in need. In the meanwhile a secret society in England to dethrone James II brings the merchants together as a united force to uphold the Protestant faith under the royal standard of William of Orange. War is nigh, and can a Frenchman be trusted as William’s spy extraordinaire?

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So chuffed to receive the Historical Readers' Award for this novel.
And Although the novel was in part inspired by the TV series, The Last Betrayal is a novel about the plight of the Huguenots!   

Historical Readers' Award

The Award Editorial Review:

What a thrill-packed spicy fan fiction sequel this is.

The background setting is France during the reign of Louis XIV. Dare it be said the author has either delved deep into research of her subject or has an uncanny familiarity with this period in history. The plight of the Huguenots and the ghastly consequences after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes is laid bare in this stylish novel.  In the vein of the Three Musketeers the hero and heroine make of life thrown their way. All the while historical facts are interlaced with fiction as the hero tells us of his past in vivid colour. Interestingly the timeline begins in 1685 in France and ends in 1688 with a happy conclusion after the coronation in England of William and Mary of Orange. The Last Betrayal was recommended for the Historical Readers’ Award and is hereby granted the gold award, and goes without saying it is well written.

What inspired this novel!

After watching the BBC TV series Versailles, the plight of the Huguenots intrigued me, thus I delved deep into historical archives.

It is said Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie, Chief of all Police Forces, inspired the creation of Fabien Marchal in the TV series. The thing is, Gabriel was a visionary in  his own right, his profession was that of lawyer, judge, and not least the installing of street lights within Paris in great hopes it would deter criminals and assist in catching the devils. 

  

There always has to be an underlying what drives them factor, and what weakness if any can be touched by another. The hero had to have an Achilles Heel, but what was it? Thus I hope I have portrayed my character's inner self - the reason why his cold persona is his defensive shield. And of course, historical fact has a huge part to play in this sensual Romantic Swashbuckling novel. Inevitably the hero encounters love, true love along the way, but can he lay his past to rest?  

Don't forget you can expand the image by clicking it. 

In the novel the hero is masquerading as other than self, and for good reason, because he's on the run and is an escapee from custody. Equally, events in his youth are revealed, it is the fleshing out of a character who could be short-changed (scant on personal details) that can leave readers feeling cheated, thus letting characters shine in their own right by revealing their past renders them fully fledged. 

Historically, King Louis' revengeful streak knew no bounds, for Huguenots were on the run where able, all fleeing from persecution and seeking peace in other countries. The revocation of the Edict of Nantes proved to be a disaster for Louis, but all that is revealed within the book. 

Admiral Abraham Duquesne, Marquis du Bouchet

As many authors and scriptwriters claim poetic licence in books and movies, so have I with the creation of the hero's blood father. At a time when men had a mistress or many in their lifetimes, it is not absurd from reading the biography of Admiral Abraham Duquesne, Marquis du Bouchet (1610-1688) that he probably had a mistress, in particular prior to the birth of the hero. The admiral's life within the time-frame of the story reveals a family torn apart by the King's persecution of Huguenots, and the admiral was a Huguenot and his family did go their separate ways, thus he died alone whilst in retirement within Paris.   

Out of interest here are some pics dated the 17th century or early 18th century. All the places are featured in the novel. Oh, and did you know, Paris could be traversed from the old southern city wall to the northern gate in twenty minutes on foot. And where the greater Paris of today stands, once deep forests surrounded the city, the Forest of Versailles, The Forest of Fontainebleau (Biere) and others.

     

The Louvre in Paris of Louis' reign

Chateau de Vincennes where the hero was imprisoned.

The Bastille at the time was a military garrison. That's why the Man in the Mask (velvet or Iron) was transferred to the Royal Fort on the Island of St Marguerite.    

Oostende (now Ostende)

Den Haag (The Hague)

And there are illustrations within the paperback version of houses featured in the novel.   

And just as an aside, this is the watch presented to King Louis at coming of age (so it is claimed)

   

Sample text:

L’État, c’est moi— I am the State — Louis XIV

Two days he had been shackled in this dark place behind bars, his fate unknown. Retribution was surely at hand, and demons of old plagued his thoughts as though seeping from the dank walls in rivulets of green slime. The place stank, a putrid miasma of death and disease all around him. 

     How long he would be confined before death caught up with him was a sober thought, and it was fair to assume his punishment would be extreme when judgement was finally passed. That or he would be left to rot. Had the king’s musketeers taken him to the cells at the Temple Prison or the Châtelet, both hell holes for detainees of the state, at least on his arrival there the guards would have queried his arrest, which implied the royal palace musketeers who had taken him prisoner were acting on orders from the king’s absolute right-hand-man: Bontempes. Hence the use of Château de Vincennes, long since abandoned as a royal residence and unused by anyone but Louis, where he housed personal enemies in secret.         There was no one closer to the king than his valet, the man who had devoted his life to Louis, the man more adviser than any of the official advising ministers of state. Bontempes was the one man Louis trusted above all others to see personal enemies brought to justice. And who would suspect a mere valet of dark deeds? 

   But here he was, prisoner and victim of a conspiracy seeded within the royal house to silence anyone presumed a threat to the king. It was that very sense of betrayal, the revocation of the Edict of Nantes which had put many Huguenots to Flight and the king to senseless religious rage. Of the courtiers who had refused to convert to Catholicism many had duly braved the king’s scorn until they too were confined to their quarters. But when loved ones farther afield were placed under house arrest, worse befell each and every family as the days became weeks. Fear and dread of reprisals began spreading as potent as a wild fire raging through a forest. From the rich to the poor, the very fact people were denied the right to leave the country even he, formerly a man of steel will in loyalty to the king, could no longer be a party to the level of persecution now inflicted upon his own kind. 

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Travel in Jane Austen's day!

It's all too easy to imagine travel of yesteryear as a time consuming mediaeval plod, and yet, in some respects travel during the latter half of the 18th century and early 19th was expedient when it came to mail coaches, post-chaises, and private drag companies;  the latter who were paid to ply the highways and byways of Georgian Britain on commissioned travel by clients, as did private drags owned by wealthy gentlemen and the aristocracy. Strange as it may seem, many wealthy men thoroughly enjoyed driving their own conveyances equally as well as their coachmen. It was also fashionable to drive curricles (high-top ) or a low-slung Tilney. 

For example, the mail coach runs! 

Travelling by mail coach from London to Bath, the average time on the road inclusive change of four-in-hand horses every 10-15 miles was 11 hrs. The greatest contributing factor to speed was ostlers at inns, who prided themselves on fast-changeovers of horses, thus the relief team were already harnessed ready to go, and the switch of horses could and was achieved in twelve minutes or less depending on weather conditions.    

From Exeter in Devon to Hyde Park Corner: the travel time of the mail coach was 15 hrs.

Private and Post Chaise Horses required two hours of rest per forty miles driven at a more leisurely pace than that of mail coach teams.   

Lighter weight chaises with two-in-hand (pair) were capable of matching mail coaches for speed but again required an hour of rest per 20-25 miles depending on terrain.

There's a bit of a myth on the author circuit teams of horses were for hire to anyone who stopped at any inn (or horse for hire establishment) and wished to change horses and drive onward, hence that statement is factually incorrect unless the owner of said horses was familiar with the person wishing to hire one and that person had credibility. What some inns, and often as not a local smithy (blacksmith/farrier) hired out, were emergency horses with a postilion if a horse had gone lame etc., and that postilion would later return with the horse/s when the conveyance was driven to its destination. Horses were extremely valuable during the time of the Napoleonic wars, and notably in short supply due to acquisition of equines for military service to replace those killed in action or shot when need be. Horse breeders of quality equines tended to be the aristocracy, or those providing horses for the Royal Mail and coaching companies.   

All coaching companies paid dues to keep a string of teams at various coaching inns en route, and canny innkeeper's kept a few spare horses if their inn was located close to a steep hill. Brake horses were ridden to the top of steep hills when coaches were due, and before descending the hill the brake horses were attached to the rear of the coach, the postilion in a position to assist the coachman with extra brake power. Likewise on the same hill ascending, two extra horses were attached to the pole to assist the team and then unhitched on reaching the top, especially important during inclement conditions and snowfall. Some farmsteads offered the same service of brake horses, the times of coaches passing through was pretty much on schedule barring mishaps.

Snippet of earlier history: The First stagecoach started up in 1610 from Edinburgh to Lieth. During the years of the English Civil War travel by coach averaged 7-8 days from London to Exeter. But as time progressed and Charles II was restored to the throne, more coaching routes were developed and travel times were lessened with better design of coaches and the renowned Flying Machine. In the years 1667-1670 announcements were commonplace:

"All those wishing to pass from London to Bath (to take the waters) or to any other place on their road, let them repair to the Bell Savage on Ludgate Hill London and the White Lion in Bath, at both places which they may be received in a Stage Coach every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, which performs the whole journey in Three Days (if God permit), and sets forth at five in the Morning.
Passengers to pay One Pound five Shillings each, who are allowed to carry 14 Pounds Weight - for all above to pay the halfpence per Pound."  

Wars involved men travelling the length and breadth of the British Isles and overseas, not least those who became mercenary soldiers in the 30 yrs war, and those who fought in the Spanish, the French, and Dutch wars within the Low Countries on the Continent.
  
Thus the distance between "Land's End" at the most southern point of England in the far southwest of Cornwall, and to "John o' Groats" at the most northerly aspect of Scotland, represents the whole length of the main island of Great Britain. By road and highway it is 874 miles (1,407 km) betwixt the two and takes modern-day cycling enthusiasts 10 to 14 days; the record for running the route is nine days. 

Not all travel by horse was taken along highways! 

Dorset Ravine

A man and horse taking more diverse routes across country via bridleways, drover roads (ravines), and along old Roman roads in the 1800s and early 1900s matched that of the cyclists of today, and  with no change of horse en route. Hence the distance between the two extreme ends of the Island of Great Britain could be achieved in less time than imagined in yesteryear Britain. 

Pack-horse Drover Bridge

Although the main Roman roads ceased at the border between England and Scotland (Hadrian's Wall), where old drove roads and bridleways had afforded relative safety for lone travellers, so too the same sense of safety was preferable to riding the main highways with the threat of highwaymen. 

Many Drover roads were ancient track-ways traversing north, south, and east across England, and to the far west across Wales. Thus riding these routes across country, and over moorland, saved valuable journey time as opposed to conventional roads and highways.  

The same feats on horseback today require long diversions due to modern road systems, many of the original tracks are long since built on, and old Roman roads such as Ermine Street/Dere Street, known today as The Great North Road on which Dick Turpin rode with his famed Black Bess, now lie beneath tarmac. 

This is part of Watling Street (Roman way)

Part of Old Watling Street -
 registered as a green lane and bridleway.

Part of the Old Foss way  

Of other Roman roads there are many, not least The Foss way (220m), and Watling Street (200m), again great stretches now major modern roads. Of famous bridleways-cum-drove roads the most famous is The Ridgeway, an ancient track-way dated pre Roman times stretching longer than 87m, which is merely the wild section running along the Ridge of the Wiltshire and Berkshire Downs, above the famous Uffington White Horse. The Ridgeway remains as a track-way from start to finish. 

Although much of a second track-way, the Inkfield Way was built upon in more modern times and all but disappeared within the Home Counties, but in 1972 by slight deviations it was re-connected to The Ridgeway, hence once again providing a route almost as its original route from the Dorset coast to East Anglia. So, all in all, travel for lone riders, even troops of soldiers, much greater distances could and were travelled along the old track-ways than the more conventional routes which traversed town to town, city to city. 

Whilst coaching inns provided provisions for travellers, so too, along these old routes were taverns and inns aplenty in small villages. It's quite astonishing to think  Oliver Cromwell's great feat of marching his army and heavy cannon from Scotland to Worcester, covering 25 miles a day (1651). This feat is well documented. Whereas his cavalry and foot marched 40-50 miles a day to catch up with and to trail Charles II's Royalist forces from Scotland to Worcester. Charles had a head start of several days, thus the mammoth feat of Cromwell's men, all told, was one of endurance riding and marching, much of it along ancient routes and the great North Road (Dere Street), and thence to engage in battle within less than twelve hours of respite. And, what is more, Cromwell's men won the Battle of Worcester. 

Map of Roman Roads traversing England.

A Much maligned Man

Many times when reading non fiction and supposed biographies by lauded historians and famous authors, I ponder how far they truly researched their subject matter, and why they chose to perpetuate what was writ before as though their own writings are mere carbon copies of former works! Thus I find it incredibly difficult to write on any subject and avoid overwhelming impassioned desire to uncover truths from lies and look at supposed infamy with a detective mindset - after all, it's easy to read others' works and judge which best suits one's ideal of the past and events of the day - in other words - biased leanings in a political sense relevant to self in one's own time as opposed to non partisan leanings, similarly in moral tones. 

Hence, here I attempt to redeem the reputation of a  much maligned man subject to envy of his service in the Dutch regiment of Holland (The Buffs) whilst on campaign with Charles II, and their close covert connection, and why fear within another cabal, namely James II's followers (Catholic conspirators), essentially set out to defame Robert and his cousin Lucy Walter/s by false declarations, scandalous rumours, and falsification of papers/dates/other to prove he was the father of James Duke of Monmouth. But of course, since then DNA samples have proved the Duke of Monmouth was indeed Charles II's son.  So was handsome Robert a cad of the first order or a true gentleman and loyal family friend to a much maligned lady cousin?      

Robert Sydney (1626-1668) 4th son - 2nd Earl of Leicester

buried at Penshurst Place

Throughout his service in the Low Countries Robert was maligned by leading chroniclers of his day - not least accusations he and his elder brother Algernon had shared the Duke of Monmouth's mother. Robert was also marked as a spy for Cromwell, his brother Algernon a staunch Parliamentarian and true Protestant. Was Robert a double agent, or did that cap fit Col Thomas Howard (Master of the Horse to Mary of Orange) - another wonderful character to place within the hands of a person with a detective mind set, for he too was in Cromwell's pay!  

What is never disclosed is the family connection of the Sydney family to Lucy Walter, nor is it ever disclosed that Lucy was a 7th cousin removed from Charles II. Considering John Evelyn's scathing comments about Lucy as "a woman of mean birth" he clearly knew nothing of her family connection to the Howard family (Duke's of Norfolk) via Catherine Howard.

Strange as it may seem, the movements of Lucy Walter and the fact she was in Paris long before she arrived in The Hague never appears in biographies, nor do chroniclers (Evelyn's Diaries) mention Lord Glamorgan (Lucy's uncle) and Mr. Barlow/oe, Lucy's uncle, as taking passage aboard "named" ship that anchored off Jersey to there join with Charles II  - thus after the defeat of the King Charles I armies, the Prince of Wales sought shelter first on the Isles of Scilly, then took flight to Jersey April-June 1646. When Charles moved to Paris, Sir Edward Hyde remained on Jersey for two more years, and therefore was not in Paris to witness Lucy and Charles second marriage ceremony, (legal or otherwise and much talk on the event). Rarely is Hyde's residency on Jersey mentioned. In that same year of 1646 Lord Glamorgan was dispatched to Ireland on a second sortie to raise a Catholic Army in support of Charles I (another story).

Nor do official chroniclers record Lucy and Lord Glamorgan when put ashore on Jersey, whilst Mr. Balow/oe of Slebech, Pembrokeshire, proceeded onward to The Hague. A Mr. Barlow disembarked at The Hague with a letter destined for Charles II's sister - Mary of Orange.     

Algernon Sydney - (1623-1683) tried for Treason (Rye House Plot)

Algernon was equally maligned as having taken Lucy as his mistress, which according to family writings he never did, but did indeed rescue her during a raid in which he was commander of operations on a house in Devon (Brock House) demolished in the reign of James II post Monmouth Rebellion.  Brock House is where Charles II (then Prince of Wales) was hiding prior to sudden flight to the Scilly Isles. Had news not arrived of Parliamentarian forces en route to arrest him, who can say what the result would have been. Someone, but who, had tipped off the royal party? Either way, it was a mad scramble to get out to sea, and Lucy and others were at the house, the owner her uncle, family to her mother. 

All that is official re Parliamentarian Army records, is that Lucy was escorted back to London along with her mother and siblings, whilst others were arrested for harbouring the prince. Bear in mind Lucy already had a brother serving in the Parliamentarian Army - Richard Walter who became High Sheriff of Pembrokeshire during the Interregnum. Lucy never set sail for The Hague - no warrant to travel overseas was ever issued nor a named ship's passage. What she did do was retreat to Wales (Roche Castle) to her father, (did her mother approve?) and once there plans were put into action to get her to Jersey, or perhaps plans were already set in motion. Was it possible Lucy was recruited as a spy for Parliament in the first instance, and could it be, Lucy fell in love with Charles? If the former bears any sense of possibility, was it she who revealed evidence of Colonel Thomas Howard (Master of the Horse to Mary of Orange) as a traitor to the royalist cause - in the pay of Parliament, and was he the mysterious "Walter" sending coded messages to Thurloe?  It would account for why he escaped imprisonment when Lucy and Robert Sydney were arrested shortly after her return to London with her two children, even though Col Thomas Howard travelled with them? Which of the two men was sent by Charles to guard Lucy and the children, and why would she and the children be received and treated as royalty by loyal royalists who were covertly raising and providing funds for Charles cause?         

The Rye House 

But back to Robert - the handsome and dashing blade! He continued to serve in the Low Countries as an English officer of an English regiment after Charles II was restored to the crown 1660.  

But come the disbandment of the Regiments in Holland -1665, the Dutch authorities decided to honourably discharge the English and Scots troops serving in the regiments and replace them with Netherlanders. Those Englishmen and Scotsmen who were prepared to swear the oath of allegiance to The Dutch republic were re-admitted into the regiments. The discharged officers and men were given no assistance from the English government for their repatriation, which the better off in society could afford inclusive much loved horses. For the others Sir George Downing, British Envoy, paid for their passage to England and gave them letters of recommendation.

The 3 Scots regiments were converted into 3 nominally Dutch regiments and the 4 English regiments were replaced by only one Dutch regiment. Those English officers who remained in Holland were placed in the 3 former Scots regiments. 'The States General, on 14th April, ordered that all the transformed English and Scottish companies, now of service within the Netherlands companies, thus drums would thereafter beat the Holland March on guard mounting, and on all other occasions. The sashes and badges of the officers were then orange-coloured, similar to those worn by the Dutch officers, and green coats.'

In England:

Charles II's Change of Heart, or should that be shamed by the officers who also assisted common soldiers with transport to home shores!  

And so, in 1665 the discharged officers and men began to arrive back in England and the King was more or less advised to reconsider the question of reinstating some or all of the soldiers for service to King and Crown. Subsequently, a list was compiled, dated 11th April 1665. 

All in all 17 subalterns arrived along with officers. Clearly all loyal to the English crown. Thus, on the 20th April a warrant was issued to reinstate said men into the King's pay at a reduced rate, 3 shillings a day for lieutenants and 2 shillings and sixpence for ensigns. Captains were given 5 shillings a day.

The Appointment of Col Robert Sydney, 31st May 1665, raised a few eyebrows, but many were unaware of Robert's covert closeness to Charles (spy extraordinaire).

The King had the officers and men formed into a regiment and issued a commission to Colonel Robert Sydney to be 'Colonell of Our Holland Regiment of Foot, raised or to be raised, for Our service.' 

Hardly surprising as Robert Sydney (Sidney), had commanded one of the English regiments in the Dutch service, and was 4th son of Robert 2nd Earl of Leicester.  He was as stated a handsome man and many thought due to scurrilous rumours put about by John Evelyn, Killigrew, James Duke of York and Col Thomas Howard, he was the real father of the Duke of Monmouth. (The reasons for this assumption were that Robert's mistress was at one time the King's mistresses/wife (?), I'll not venture farther into the rumours because it's a story in itself, and it comes to light a great deal within my English Civil War series of novels - The Royal Series! 

In brief it was said Lucy Walter/s (aka Mrs Barlow), and Charles II's son Duke of Monmouth, so closely resembled Robert (Sydney) he must be the father, but the fact most ignored or purposefully attempted to mask, was the truth that Robert and Lucy were cousins!   

Aside from which, it is most unlikely Charles II would have asked Robert Sydney to raise a new Hollander regiment, if he thought for one moment his first born (James Duke of Monmouth) was the other man's child. Nor would Charles have ever treated the DoM as a prince of the blood, as did - oddly enough - Queen Henrietta Maria, an act neither applied to other of Charles' bastards. 

The reinstatement of  Holland Regiment, 23rd June 1665

The official date of the raising of the Holland Regiment for His Majesty's service was the 31st May 1665 the day Colonel Robert Sydney's commission was confirmed, but the other officers received their commissions 3 weeks later on 23rd June. The 21 officers included Major Alexander Bruce who was the only officer of the Scots regiments to refuse the oath of allegiance to the Netherlands. Thus the regiment was fixed at 6 companies of 106 NCOs. Field officers acted as captains to the first 3 companies. 

The 1st Company had Colonel Sydney as captain, a lieutenant, an ensign, 2 sergeants, 3 corporals, one drummer and 100 private soldiers.

The 2nd Company was commanded by Lt-Col Thomas Howard - another spy extraordinaire (double agent) during the ECWs, and Master of the Horse to Princess Mary, wife/widow Prince William of Nassau.   

The 3rd Company by Major Alexander Bruce, 

The 4th Company by Capt Sir Thomas Ogle

The 5th Company by Capt Henry Pomeroy

The 6th Company by Capt Baptist Alcock

All the officers in the regiment had served in the English-Dutch regiments except the surgeon. The very fact all the officers and the returned men had refused to take the oath in Holland they were in effect out of commission kicking their heels in civvy street. Nonetheless, their loyalty to the English crown had been proved. 

In the meanwhile the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot (The Lord High Admiral's Regiment), had been raised the previous autumn. It was decided the Holland Regiment, would primarily serve at sea as a maritime/land unit - effectively Marines! On the 11th July the cost of these two regiments was ordered to be charged to the Navy. And the Holland Regiment remained on the naval establishment until May 1667.

    

All the above is accumulated research across many years of study into this period in history, a fascinating period of political turbulence, religious intolerance, social change, and last but not least, royal shenanigans involving treachery, jealousy, hatred, revenge, and lust and romance. 

To cite all my sources would entail a list an arms length in respect of 50 yrs of studying history, and still new things come to light as private papers, ecclesiastical and state papers are discovered within national or private archives and placed within the public domain! Though many personal family archives contributed to the writing of The Royal Series. 

   

Georgian Hairstyles pre-Regency era.

Hairstyles of the Georgian period! 

This article attempts to address the balance of hairstyles and fashion, because far too many readers and literary critics (who deem sense of expertise in matters of Georgian England) often seem to forget the greater part of the Georgian Period occurred within the 1700s - being that of  the 18th Century. Hence modicum of confusion arises with the coming of the Regency Era of the 1800s, being that of the 19th Century in matters of fashion, which includes hairstyles.

In this picture are examples of Georgian hair styling.

The first image represents back-combed hair with short ringlets and powered for fashionable effect.

The second image is a young lady with natural hair in a pretty and becoming style, and this style remained popular for unmarried ladies until the coming of the Greek revivalist movement during the Regency era, when men went for the Corinthian, the Adonis, and other fashionable bent, whilst women went for short curls framing the face, top-knots and dangling ringlets.  

The third picture is a strawberry-roan wig, no doubt similar in colour to the ladies natural hair colour, also lightly powdered.    

To take stock of the early/mid part of the Georgian Period of England, it helps to remember Marie Antoinette was Queen of France, wife of Louis XVI at that time.

Marie Antoinette.

She was renowned for her outrageous wigs, but not all women during the Georgian period wore wigs, though some did, as did the Duchess of Devonshire when married, but when young she merely lightly powdered her hair and had it styled to the fashion of one long coil of hair over her shoulder similar the middle image top of page. 

Duchess of Devonshire

Other ladies of note, namely Lady Sheffield,  wore long style wigs.

Whilst Mary Hamilton had her own hair styled and powdered.

The following images are of TV/Movie productions, almost all with relevant hairstyles for the Georgian period - and pretty obvious which of these are wigs. Note the hairstyle bottom left corner which is totally wrong for Georgian period, not even early Victorian and is late Victorian /Edwardian. 

Just prior to the Regency era, hairstyles were softer, wigs were worn far less by women who had lovely hair, though married women often still powdered their hair. And by now waistlines had crept upward, the A-line/French Empire line taking precedence. 

By the Regency Era young girls were still given to wearing hair in loose coils (down) for informal dress, and up for formal occasions. Married ladies and mistresses always wore it up!

In the year George, Prince of Wales, took office as the Prince Regent, the year of 1811, he assumed the working role of head of State in his father's stead. George III was sadly diagnosed as mentally incapable, thus the Prince of Wales, now Prince Regent had no idea when his father the king would die nor how long before he would become the monarch. 

In 1820 The Regent became King. 

The Regency era was at end, a mere 9 yrs in tenure, but Regency fashion and hairstyles continued until William IV became King on George IV's demise in 1830, merely ten years after the Regent became King. 

During the reign of William IV ladies waistlines dropped, hairstyles went to buns and bunches, and silly side curls come the death of William in 1837, thus Princess Victoria became Queen.  

Young Victoria!