Queen Charlotte A Bridgerton Story Review: Kicking off as a spin-off of the steamy Netflix historical drama series Bridgerton with its premiere on May 4 on Netflix, Queen Charlotte stars India Amarteifio as the younger version of the titular character, while Golda Rosheuvel as the older counterpart we’ve met before. Shonda Rhimes takes full charge of the series as the creator, while Tom Verica directs the episodes.
The new addition to Netflix’s catalogue consists of 6 episodes, with their runtime ranging between 53-60 minutes. With Jeffrey Jur’s cinematography, the series also stars Arsema Thomas as young Lady Agatha Danbury, Adjoa Andoh as the older (and present version), Sam Clemmett as young Brimsley, Corey Mylchreest as young King George III, Michelle Fairley as Dowager Princess Augusta and others.
Queen Charlotte A Bridgerton Story Review Does Not Contain Spoilers
Queen Charlotte A Bridgerton Story Review: Discussion
Right off the bat, Julie Andrews’ Lady Whistledown wittily states the first order of business that this series is in no form a history lesson but “fiction inspired by fact”, which means that the creator has covered full ground while enacting her creative liberties at hand. The first two episodes focus on bringing the star-crossed lovers, the 17-year-old Charlotte and the newly crowned King George III, together.
This matrimonial contract required for the former to be sold off to a foreign land and eventually kicked in the “Great Experiment”, which all of a sudden socially elevated certain exclusive Black families and allowed for different races to intermingle at courts so that the newlywed bride/ Queen doesn’t feel out of place.
Much like the Bridgerton series, the prequel leads its case with the romance story at hand. Switching up some historical facts to make room for more racing inclusivity, and this time even connections of all sorts, the new series registers a big hit with its steamy and erotic tonality that is especially won over by the sensual chemistry shared between Amarteifio and Mylchreest. Their meet-cute is cute indeed as Amarteifio’s young Charlotte attempts to climb over the walls and escape her wedding, while Mylchreest introduces himself as “Just George”, “the Farmer King”.
It misleadingly promises one a happy future ahead, but it all comes crumbling down as soon as the latter puts up walls higher than his palace, forbidding Charlotte to make any contact with him. It instantly makes you wonder what the cause could be, eventually charting out a shallow discussion on what is now understood as mental health (considering the time and age).
With the same storyline in mind, the narrative often jumps back to the older present, where the Queen juggles with courtly intricacies and the most concerning issue – getting her children to produce an heir to the family line. This side of the story is juxtaposed with that of the Queen’s past when she and King George III try their best to make their unlikely romance set in the metaphorical Beauty and the Beast setting work.
While speaking of marital duties, the story divides itself into two halves, with the first one focussing more on Charlotte’s perspective and how she’s been caged in her whalebone corset to perform the ultimate duty of producing royal babies, and the second one turning 180 degrees to face George’s turmoil equally.
As the pair makes for the epic romance saga, their accompanying characters like Lady Danbury and Dowager Viscountess Bridgerton, aka Violet chart out their own stories of companionship or how they’re missing on it. Danbury’s comment about them being “untold stories” leaves an empathetic remark and opens the floor to speak of happiness, love, relationships and women’s libido, while digging deeper into different shades of marriage (or love) for different people.
Through Danbury’s younger character self especially, the series also constantly hangs on to questions about racial prejudice, but as mentioned before, keeps the historically factual side of the story much under wraps.
In addition to Lady Danbury and Viscountess Bridgerton’s friendship, the show also offers the witty chemistry between the duos of Queen Charlotte and her secretary Brimsley, and the young Lady Danbury and her lady-in-waiting, Coral. If through (Arsema Thomas) Agatha’s character, the story finds its latent political drive, then Charlotte (India Amarteifio) paces its focussed vision towards romance and sensuality, and Golda Rosheuvel’s older Queen self supports the royal path of loneliness.
Queen Charlotte A Bridgerton Story: Final Thoughts
Breaking the ongoing tradition of prequels being bad additions to the universe of a grand franchise, the new Netflix series works its charms by returning to the original Bridgerton side that made steamy romances hold their ground. While the pace dwindles somewhat in the second half of the series, the rather seamless switch-up balances out both sides of the Charlotte-George romantic saga, with classical renditions of modern music (the classical version of Beyonce’s Halo may have changed my life) being the cherry on top.
All 6 episodes of the prequel are now streaming on Netflix.
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