Originally Posted by POTD:
“Artistic licence has been taken, but then there is no definitive history of the period. The TV series is based on the book and research of AN Wilson who's a respected writer of history”
Yes, it's 'based on' which means they can really do what they like as long as it bears some vague resemblance to the source, like changing a relationship between Victoria and Lord Melbourne presumably to sex it up for viewers who wouldn't understand a girl who grew up without a father, was pitch forked into huge responsibility at 18 and has an elderly charmer as a prime minister would rely on him for advice and to show her the ropes rather than pursue him rabidly because of a crush.
They've invented events like the melting candle wax and ignored the break ins and lost chimney boys which did happen.
The trouble is you can't trust whatever happens on the screen because you don't know what's genuine and what's just been made up by the writers.