‘Royal Scandal’ Is a Bawdy, Regal Romp

England’s graying BBC is said to be having its problems, but none is so large that the network can’t still deliver a witty little gem the likes of Sunday’s single-night “Masterpiece Theatre” offering.

Rarely is such gorgeous attention to detail lavished on so slender a project. Yet “A Royal Scandal” is plump with pleasure, all bewigged and bewonderful, its 52 minutes of sophisticated smiles purporting to be the “true story” of an earlier Prince and Princess of Wales even more ignominious than the present British cutups.

Although parallels between the two sets of royals are obvious, the misdeeds of Charles and Diana are almost quaint compared with the future King George IV (Richard E. Grant) and his earthy German wife, Caroline (Susan Lynch), whose 1794 arranged marriage of fiscal convenience (to benefit indulgent, free-spending George) is a mismatch from the start.

In this grand script by Stanley Price, at least, their tragically cold and distant relationship yields biting humor and commentary on the manners of the age, as George spends nearly the entire marriage trying to extricate himself from it, even as Caroline initially seeks to win acceptance by him and his pompous court.

Their bawdy, rambunctious conduct and intense rivalry and bitterness, swelling to a climactic courtroom battle, are described in a droll narration by Ian Richardson.

For extravagantly perfumed and wardrobed George, it’s nausea at first whiff when meeting the unfragrant, unglamorous woman he has reluctantly agreed to marry in hopes of reducing his massive debts. The wedding rites, with George all red-eyed and tipsy, are especially funny.

As is much of what follows, thanks also to the crafty work of Lynch and especially Grant (ever the superb farceur) and the ease with humor by director Sheree Folkson. All earn credit for this sly royal blast.

* “A Royal Scandal” airs on “Masterpiece Theatre” at 9 p.m. Sunday on KCET-TV Channel 28.