Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, a Netflix prequel spin-off charting the monarch's rise to the throne.
The limited series will run for just one season and follow some of our favorites from the main show during their early years. We also know the new spin-off will be a prequel to Bridgerton season 1, Bridgerton season 2 and Bridgerton season 3.
The tale will focus on a youthful Queen Charlotte (played by Golda Rosheuval in the first two seasons of Bridgerton) but a young Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and matriarch Violet (Ruth Gemmell) will also feature.
Here's everything we know about the upcoming Bridgerton Queen Charlotte spin-off show, which has been written by showrunner Shonda Rhimes...
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story release date
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story will be released worldwide on Netflix on Thursday, May 4, 2023.
Is there a Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story trailer?
Yes! A full-length official trailer finally landed on March 23, check it out below.
A behind the scenes trailer has also been released by Netflix, which sees the cast talking about their characters and what we can expect from the new show...
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story plot
A Netflix press release described the spin-off as... “A limited prequel series based on the origins of Queen Charlotte, that will center on the rise and love life of a young Charlotte. The spinoff will also tell the stories of young Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury”
A further synopsis says... "Centered on Queen Charlotte's rise to prominence and power, this Bridgerton-verse prequel tells the story of how the young Queen's marriage to King George sparked both a great love story and a societal shift, creating the world of the Ton inherited by the characters in Bridgerton."
While Julia Quinn's Bridgerton novels are works of fiction, there was a real Queen Charlotte in Britain during the early 1800s and while she doesn't appear in the books, showrunner Shonda Rhimes decided to add her to the show.
Yet it was Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos who encouraged Rhimes to write a spin-off series for the monarch... "Ted picked up the phone and called me and said, ‘Why aren’t we doing a show about Queen Charlotte? And will you write it?’" said Rhimes in an interview with Variety last year.
"I’m very obsessed with Queen Charlotte, and I always call her the Beyoncé of the show. I’m constantly saying out loud, ‘God, I love her wigs’ — somehow hoping that somebody will send me one of her wigs so that I can walk around wearing it.”
In real life, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was a German noble and became queen consort to George III upon their marriage in 1761.
The couple had 15 children, but King George III suffered several bouts of mental illness which hampered his rule. King George III is played by Vicar of Dibley star James Fleet in the main Bridgerton series.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story cast
There will be three very familiar faces to Bridgerton fans who will be starring in the new Queen Charlotte spin-off, with Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte), Adjoa Andoh (Lady Agatha Danbury) and Ruth Gemmell (Lady Violet Bridgerton) all reprising their roles.
But there will be plenty of new faces too, as a young cast plays the well-loved Bridgerton characters in their younger days. India Amarteifio, best known for starring opposite Thandiwe Newton in Line of Duty, will portray the younger version of Charlotte.
The new spin-off will focus on Charlotte but is also set to highlight Lady Danbury's early years as well. TV newcomer Arsema Thomas (below) has been cast to play the younger version of Lady Danbury.
In July 2022, Deadline revealed that British actress Connie Jenkins-Greig (Mr Selfridge, New Blood) would be joining the show as Young Violet Ledger, the daughter of Vivian and Lord Ledger (played by Katie Brayben and Keir Charles, respectively).
The Deadline report claims that she's been described as a "kind and inquisitive teenager".
Young George will be played by Corey Mylchreest, while Michelle Fairley — who played Catelyn Stark in Game of Thrones — will portray his mother, Princess Augusta.
The rest of the cast includes Sam Clemmett (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) as young Brimsley, Richard Cunningham (The Witcher) as Lord Bute, Tunji Kasim (Nancy Drew) as Adolphus, Rob Maloney (Casualty) as the Royal Doctor, Cyril Nri (Cucumber) as Lord Danbury, while Hugh Sachs, will be reprising his Bridgerton role as the older Brimsley.
Bridgerton seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Netflix now.
