(Watch out, spoilers for Queen Charlotte: A Story of The Bridgertons)
‘Queen Charlotte: A Story of The Bridgertons’, the new Netflix hit, contains a mix of new and familiar faces, but many of the characters from the prequel do not appear in ‘The Bridgertons’. Also created by Shonda Rhimes, ‘Queen Charlotte’ chronicles the monarch’s early days, as well as her growing love affair with King George III. Set in two different eras, Queen Charlotte fleshes out the world fans have come to know with ‘The Bridgertons.’
Starring India Amarteifio, Corey Mylchreest and Arséma Thomas, ‘Queen Charlotte’ has received mostly positive reviews. It has a 7.4 on IMDB and with a 93% average in Rotten Tomatoes. The series many new characters, all of them related to Queen Charlotte, King George III and Lady Danbury herself, either in one time line or another. They help flesh out the plot, creating some interesting interactions between themselves and the main characters. While Brimsley is a character who has transitioned between ‘The Bridgertons’ and ‘Queen Charlotte,’ not all of the supporting characters from the prequel are around in the decades after the series finale.
Adolphus, Queen Charlotte’s brother
Netflix
A fundamental character for Queen Charlotte because it was he who agreed to marry George III. Adolphus Frederick IV (played by Tunji Kasim in the series) stayed for a long time at the British court and, although he even proposed to marry Lady Danbury, he ended up leaving for Germany, where he never got married. He held the title of Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and, in his domain, it was more normal to see him taking rides in his carriages than hunting or shooting. We will not see him in ‘The Bridgertons’ because he died before the series begins: he died in Germany, in 1794, at the age of 56 and without children. The title was inherited by his brother Charles.
The children of King George and Queen Charlotte
Netflix
In ‘The Bridgertons’ we have heard mention of the children of monarchs several times, but already in this series we know that they have 13 (the survivors of the 15 they engendered). In the first chapter we already saw the relationship between the two and the disappointment they cause in their mother, who encourages them to find partners and legitimately procreate. Princesses tended to hide at court until they were married, with permission from the king; the males could live longer on their own, but it follows from Queen Charlotte’s complaint about illegitimate children that they are not interested in mixing with the court or members of the Great Experiment, which is why we don’t see them in ‘The Bridgertons’ ‘.
Princess Augusta
Netflix
The actress Michelle Fairley, whom many will remember as Catelyn Stark from ‘Game of Thrones’, recovers her regal bearing to give life to Princess Augusta, mother of George III. In the series we appreciate the tension that existed at the beginning between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, and we see that she was strong enough to have made important decisions in the reign of the young kings. She died in 1772, a decade after the events of the prequel and the Bridgerton era not yet beginning, but she lived long enough to see the birth of some of her grandchildren and to enjoy part of George III’s rule.
reynolds
Netflix
Reynolds (Freddie Dennis) is to the king as Brimsley is to Queen Charlotte: his right-hand man, who controls everything about his health and daily activities and who keeps all his secrets. George III’s assistant was a fundamental character in the king’s life but we no longer see him in ‘The Bridgertons’. When we see the mature Brimsley dancing alone in the palace, we think that his partner may have died sometime in the preceding decades. It may also be that he resigned from his post after King George fell ill, but that seems less likely considering his loyalty.
Lady Danbury’s children
Netflix
In ‘Queen Charlotte: A Story of The Bridgertons’ they tell us that Lady Danbury has four children; but these do not appear in ‘The Bridgertons’. The spin-off gives a series of reasons in the mouth of the mature Lady Dambury, such as that they are on different continents (she does not specify which ones). She is happy that they are not close, because she can enjoy her freedom that way, but it is possible that the older one, the one with the most role in ‘Queen Charlotte’, may appear again later. It is likely that most of her children, if not all, are married.
Lord Bute
Netflix
John Stuart (1713-1792), Lord Bute, was Prime Minister to George III for a very brief period, from 1762 to 1763. He works on all political matters alongside Princess Augusta and Parliament, participates in decision-making and is a key character within the court. He is a relatively minor character in ‘Queen Charlotte’ and also does not appear in ‘The Bridgertons’ because he passed away two decades before the start of this series.
Coral, Lady Danbury’s maid
Netflix
Played by Peyvand Sadeghian, Lady Danbury’s handmaid is Coral, whose opinion is listened to and who also offered support (and gossip) to Lady Danbury. After her, we don’t see her working for her in the ‘Bridgertons’ years, so there are two possibilities: that she went to work in another house, or that she ended up retiring and living happily in her own little house. We did not consider the option of Lady Danbury dismissing her because they were very close friends with her.
Violet Bridgerton’s parents
Netflix
It was Queen Charlotte herself who introduced the future parents of Lady Violet Bridgerton, Lady Vivian and Lady Ledger (who had had an affair with Agatha Danbury after becoming a widow). The prequel takes place before the coming-out of Violet (Connie Jenkins-Greig), but considering how many decades have passed between ‘Queen Charlotte’ and ‘The Bridgertons’, most likely both died in between. They would surely live to see her daughter marry Lord Bridgerton, and even meet some of her grandchildren before she passed away.
