“Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” has been a hit on Netflix with raving reviews. The show is a spin off series from the former show Bridgerton containing six-hour long episodes filled with similar steamy romance and intriguing characters. The plot follows Charlotte Mecklenburg-Strelitz, a young girl from Germany who was chosen to marry King George III of England. The show follows their relationship and how it came to be in the present time of the original Bridgerton series.
Much like Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte has many intimate and explicit scenes between characters, humorous and rich dialogue and its inclusion of adaptations of modern-day music. The costumes and set designs never fail to be exceptional, especially for Charlotte who is known for her beautiful and numerous hairstyles and gowns. Unlike Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte explores topics such as race and mental illness that gave more context for the present day in the series.
When King George and Charlotte first met they instantly had great chemistry with each other; however, they ended up disliking each other at first. Although they share various sweet moments that genuinely show how deeply they care for one another, they had many fights and there were times where it felt like the relationship was not going to work-out.
As an individual watches the series, they’ll find themselves rooting for King George and Charlotte’s relationship because you witness their hardships and how they overcome them. George must deal with the pressure of being King of England while keeping his mental illness a secret from everyone and Charlotte battles with loneliness and alienation from being a queen. Despite everything they went through together, there were still deep feelings between the two.
The beauty of their relationship is that Queen Charlotte didn’t portray their royal marriage as “love at first sight.” The show displays love as passion, care and dedication that requires effort day by day.
In the spin off, we see Lady Danbury showcase another form of love: self-love. It’s intriguing how Lady Danbury’s story plays out in the series. For her entire life, she was raised to marry a man that didn’t see her as more than a toy for pleasure and to bear children. She always catered to someone else’s needs and desires instead of her own. So, when she saw the chance to be free from those metaphorical chains, she took it. She lives her life happily as a widow, a choice that would allow her to be free from the difficulties of marriage and allow herself to explore who she really was as a person without having a man involved.
It’s interesting to see how much Lady Danbury plays a hand in the present time regarding racial issues. Lady Danbury is a black woman in a white patriarchy so she is bound to face judgment from other people. While she was married to her husband, she tried to fight for the inclusion of black people, especially when she started to become close friends with the Queen. She helped integrate both races, also known as “The Great Experiment” as it’s called in the show. The audience gets to see how Lady Danbury became one of the most powerful, insightful and well-respected characters in Bridgerton.
“Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” is a beautiful story that offers more than just romance and gossip. It gives an impactful message and deep insight into love and racial issues.