The scandalous true story of Sky’s ‘Mary and George’: Orgies, murder and a king’s secret ‘husband’

The shocking scheming of Mary Villiers – who encouraged her beautiful son George to seduce King James I – is the subject of a new breeches-ripping TV drama. But how much of it is true? Author of ‘The Favourite’, Ophelia Field, takes a closer look at the sex and power plays of a time that makes ‘The Crown’ look pale by comparison...

Mother knows best: Julianne Moore stars as the scheming matriarch, Mary (Sky/Alamy)

Endless candlelit orgies will be most viewers’ takeaway impression of King James I’s court when they start watching the racy new Sky Atlantic costume drama, Mary & George.

Starring Nicholas Galitzine as the king’s adored secret lover, George Villiers (the 1st Duke of Buckingham), and Julianne Moore as his social-climbing mother, Mary, the series was “inspired by” Benjamin Woolley’s 2017 non-fiction book, The King’s Assassin, and maybe also by Yorgos Lanthimos’ Oscar-winner film, The Favourite. This means that facts aren’t allowed to get in the way of a good story. 

Which is fine. As the author of The Favourite, the non-fiction story of Sarah Churchill’s relationship with Queen Anne, I know that real life doesn’t always give you the pace and compact drama that successful fiction needs.