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‘Bridgerton’ Fans Rejoice As ‘Queen Charlotte’ Explains How A Black Queen Came To Power

in Entertainment, Movies & TV, Television

Posted on by Melanie Weir 1 Comment
Queen Charlotte and King George in the Netflix Bridgerton Spinoff

Credit: Netflix

There’s something to be said about a side character who becomes so big that she deserves her own show. Such is the case of Queen Charlotte in Netflix’s runaway hit series Bridgerton: A necessary staple of the main series, but also a fascinating and worthy character in her own right.

It makes sense, therefore, that when Netflix dropped Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story on May 4, it became an instant hit on the platform.

Queen Charlotte, played by actress Golda Rosheuvel, is a commanding, intimidating character in each season of Bridgerton, overseeing the marriage mart with an iron-fisted ferocity while dealing with the famed “madness” of her beloved husband, King George III.

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However, the more the show continued, the more the story begged that questions about her character be answered – because, as queen of Great Britain, questions about her character often extend to questions about the kingdom – the most common question being, “Was she really Black?”

Many people were not aware until after they watched Bridgerton for the first time, but the German-born Queen Charlotte was, in fact, directly descended from Margarita de Castro y Sousa, a Black branch of the Portuguese royal house. Her complexion was often lightened in official portraits, so this fact is often glossed over or ignored.

Queen Charlotte’s marriage into the British royal family came at a time in which Great Britain was beginning the process of desegregating itself, something reflected in the diverse cast of the original series. The new show attempts to show what this process may have looked like.

“There is something…undeserving about having a utopic society like Bridgerton, which is diverse without an explanation for how to get there,” said Arsema Thomas, the actress playing young Agatha Danbury, in an interview.

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She continued:

There is something in our series that is eerily similar to so many moments of history, and there’s something beautiful about telling a story that’s at the tipping point of change….It colors Bridgerton in a whole different way. This show essentially gives you three seasons of Bridgerton.

Fans online have now had a chance to react to the show, and they largely agree that Queen Charlotte adds some much-needed color and flavor to the world of Bridgerton and the monarchy – as well as some of the other characters who don’t get as much screen time in the main series.

True to form, though, what fans loved most about the series was the romance.

Golda Rushuvel had this to say about Queen Charlotte as a whole:

The show is relatable, and people can see themselves and lean forward into it, and be invited into a world that has excluded them before and just sit and enjoy and be entertained.

Related: Netflix Could Open Its Own Theme Park, Report Says

One thing is for sure: These audiences are DEFINITELY entertained. You can stream Queen Charlotte, and the rest of the Bridgerton series on Netflix now.

in Entertainment, Movies & TV, Television

Tagged:bridgertonNetflix

Melanie Weir

Melanie Weir has been a professional writer for five years, and has been writing Entertainment news for three of those. She's especially passionate about Disney, Theatre, and sitcoms. When she's not writing or re-analyzing her favorite media, you can find her co-hosting 'Made You Watch...(a podcast)' with her former coworker Adam Mock. You can also see her act in the the award-winning YouTube series 'Please Help' from Enstarz Media, which she co-wrote.

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