Bridgerton’s Queen Charlotte – with her love of Pomeranian dogs and Lady Whistledown’s gossip sheet – quickly became a fan favourite when the hit drama first aired, so it’s little wonder she’s getting her own Netflix spin-off, written by Shonda Rhimes and putting the supporting character firmly in the spotlight.
Over the last few decades, historians have debated whether the real Queen Charlotte may have had a distant ancestor who was Black – and in Bridgerton‘s reimagining of the character, she’s the first monarch of colour in the UK, ushering in greater diversity amongst the “ton”.
Netflix announced on 14th May 2021 that the Bridgerton universe would be expanding with the Queen Charlotte spin-off, which we also know will tell the story of a young Violet Bridgerton, the Bridgerton family matriarch.
“Many viewers had never known the story of Queen Charlotte before Bridgerton brought her to the world, and I’m thrilled this new series will further expand her story and the world of Bridgerton,” Netflix head of global TV Bela Bajaria told Deadline.
“Shonda and her team are thoughtfully building out the Bridgerton universe so they can keep delivering for the fans with the same quality and style they love. And by planning and prepping all the upcoming seasons now, we also hope to keep up a pace that will keep even the most insatiable viewers totally fulfilled.”
Golda Rosheuvel, who plays Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton seasons 1 and 2, previously spoke about the upcoming sequel at the BAFTAs, telling Tom Allen: “It will be interesting to delve in and see some backstory. I know questions are being asked about her.”
Read on for everything you need to know about the Bridgerton prequel about Queen Charlotte.
When will the Bridgerton Queen Charlotte spin-off air?
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The spin-off was announced last year, but as of March 2022 we don’t yet have a title or filming schedule for the Bridgerton prequel. We’ll keep this page updated with any news or updates.
Who will star in the Bridgerton Queen Charlotte spin-off?
No casting has been announced yet, but the series will be centred around Queen Charlotte (played by Golda Rosheuvel in Bridgerton) and her reimagined origin story.
As Bridgerton’s showrunner Chris Van Dusen previously stated: “Bridgerton isn’t a history lesson. Our show is for a modern audience, featuring modern themes and characters, so we took liberties in our re-imagining.
“Our take on race in the series is an example of how we mixed history within a fictional world… Bridgerton is not a colourblind world. That would imply race isn’t considered.
“Race is considered, and there are many historians who believe that Queen Charlotte was England’s first mixed-race queen. That theory resonated with us hugely.
“What if Queen Charlotte was recognised as being of mixed-race in 1813? What would that look like? What would happen? What if this Queen of England used her power to elevate other people of colour in that society? And that’s where the fictional part came in.”
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We also know the series will will feature a young Violet Bridgerton, the Bridgerton family matriarch played by Ruth Gemmell in the original show, and a young Lady Danbury, the Duke’s mentor and London society doyenne (played by Adjoa Andoh in Bridgerton).
We’ll also probably meet a young King George III (James Fleet in Bridgerton), to whom Charlotte is married in the original series.
The synopsis reveals the show to be a “limited prequel series based on the origins of Queen Charlotte, that will centre on the rise and love life of a young Charlotte. The spinoff will also tell the stories of young Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury.”
Is there a trailer for the Bridgerton Queen Charlotte spin-off?
There’s no trailer yet for the Bridgerton prequel, but we’ll keep this page updated with any new images or clips.
You can buy The Viscount Who Loved Me and the Bridgerton book series on Amazon. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide.
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