Written by Shonda Rhimes for Netflix, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story focuses on the monarch's marriage to King George the Third.
Queen Charlotte will be reprised by Golda Rosheuvel (Death In Paradise), however she will be joined by India Ria Amarteifo (Military Wives), who will play a young version of the Queen.
Ruth Gemmell will also reprise her role as Lady Violet Bridgerton, alongside Adjoa Andoh (The Witcher) as Lady Danbury. Cory Mychreest (Mars) will play the Queen's love interest, a young King George the Third.
Bridgerton has been a runaway success since series one premiered in 2020, with the most recent series watched for 193 million hours in its premiere weekend.
Bridgerton famously has a diverse cast, unusual for a period drama. In the first series, Lady Danbury explains: “We were two separate societies divided by colour until a king fell in love with one of us.”
Although series one and two explored diversity, Queen Charlotte should bring more context. Golda Rosheuvel hinted to Digital Spy that the series will have a keen focus on racial and socioeconomic issues, with a young Charlotte having to cope with both her influence and power, but also her position as a woman and minority in the 19th Century.
With regard to the more intimate and steamy scenes Bridgerton is known for, India Ria Amarteifo reminds us that Queen Charlotte and King George had 15 children—“so that is kind of how that works.” But she also assures viewers that they should expect to see “romance in all forms.”
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story will premiere on Netflix on 4 May 2023.