Historical Romance
‘The Gilded Age’ & ‘The Buccaneers’ Both Have This Historical Figure in Common
If we had a nickel for every time two Gilded Age period dramas were airing simultaneously, we’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened.
Seriously, though, you aren’t alone if you’ve noticed the similarities between The Gilded Age Season 3 and The Buccaneers Season 2. Not only do they both take place in the same era — the late 1800s — but the shows also share similar storylines. It’s not a coincidence: They’re both loosely inspired by the same historical figures (and their marriages).
Let’s start with Julian Fellowes‘ HBO drama. The Gilded Age covers a lot of ground and quite a few characters, but railroad tycoon George (Morgan Spector) and his wife, Bertha (Carrie Coon), are at the center of it all. Over the past few seasons, we’ve watched the new money Russell family work their way into New York society’s upper echelons. Their journey resembles the real life Alva Vanderbilt and William K. Vanderbilt.
A major plot line of the current season is Bertha trying to marry her daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) off to the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb) — which also echoes history. Consuelo, the socialite daughter of the Vanderbilt couple, wed the ninth Duke of Marlborough in 1895. Just like the show, it wasn’t a love match by any means. The Duke needed the Vanderbilt’s cash, and Alva wanted her daughter to get a title.
In the end, both got what they wanted at Consuelo’s expense — and The Gilded Age just saw Gladys give in and get engaged. Her father isn’t happy with how Bertha went about getting what she wanted, which is creating cracks in their relationship. Only time will tell if the Russells end up divorcing like the Vanderbilts eventually did, or if Gladys will end up separating from the Duke like Consuelo did.
If you’re watching both shows like we are, you might’ve started picking up on all of the details that The Gilded Age shares with Apple TV’s The Buccaneers. In it, a group of young, wealthy American girls set their sights on marrying English nobility. One of them, Nan (Kristine Frøseth), is currently stuck in a loveless union with Theo (Guy Remmers), the Duke of Tintagel, but she recognizes that she can gain power and influence from his title. What’s more, in the show, Nan’s mother asks for a divorce from her husband after her daughter’s wedding. Sound familiar?
The Buccaneers is based on Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel of the same name, and according to R. W. B. Lewis’ biography of Wharton, the author likely modeled The Buccaneers girls in part after Consuelo and other women like her. It wasn’t uncommon for rich American women to marry into the English aristocracy during the era. Wharton was also childhood friends with Consuelo Yznaga, Duchess of Manchester, who shared a similar fate.
Do you think the marriages of The Buccaneers and The Gilded Age will follow history, or will they go a different route? What are the odds that Nan and Theo, as well as Gladys and the Duke, get divorced? What about Bertha and George? Let us know in the comments!
The Gilded Age, Season 3, Sundays, 9/8c, HBO
The Buccaneers, Season 2, Wednesdays, Apple TV+
