“Why was ‘Queen Charlotte’ perfect for a first season?”
The new season of Bridgerton and the long-awaited love story of Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin (Luke Newton) has captivated audiences, but with a month gap between the first four episodes and the next four, fans have turned to older content to satisfy their cravings, sparking renewed interest in last year’s spinoff Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The six-episode series follows a young Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) 50 years before the events of Bridgerton as she meets and marries King George III (Corey Mylchreest). Their love story differs from the more traditional version of Bridgerton in that it doesn’t involve a marriage market or courtship drama, but rather an immediate wedding, with the hope that love will come. And it does. Charlotte and George share a love story that spans centuries, at least in this fictional version, as they overcome challenges together.
Since its release, there has been little news about whether the story will continue. Of course, the adult Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) will return in Bridgerton Season 3, but even so, there are still a few loose ends in the spin-off’s “present” story. However, creator Shonda Rhimes has commented on the second season of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, admitting that there have been discussions, but she simply hasn’t found the right storyline yet. This may be disappointing for fans who want to see more of the character, but the series doesn’t need to continue. Structured as a limited series, the love story is complete. However, there are other characters from both Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte who could have their own series, creating a wider Bridgerton series, which would be better than continuing Queen Charlotte unnecessarily. ‘Queen Charlotte’ has completed her love story. Like any good romantic drama, the main part of the show is the relationship between the main characters. Charlotte and George’s love story continues until they get married, which, to be fair, starts just minutes after they meet. Throughout the series, Charlotte learns about George’s madness and helps him learn how to be King, as the two form a deep bond. By the end of the series, they have an heir and are expecting a second child, showing that they have settled into life as Royals. Through Queen Charlotte’s 1814 backstory and the character’s appearance in Bridgerton, the audience knows how their story plays out. They had a long marriage, had 15 children, and remained close. Eventually, however, George’s madness got worse, as Bridgerton shows. He occasionally had sober days when Charlotte could visit him and still love him. It was a bittersweet ending for the couple, but it was an ending.
Once the series had gone through its initial love story, it didn’t make sense to continue. Charlotte and George had a long life together, with joy and pain ahead. They didn’t have to fall in love again, though, which is the point of a romantic show. Even Bridgerton’s romantic twists were at the forefront of each season. But Queen Charlotte wasn’t built to transform the main characters like the original series, which had eight Bridgerton siblings to follow. While the spin-offs might be fun, Queen Charlotte should have been allowed to end.
While this is the main part of the story, Queen Charlotte’s romance isn’t the only thing going on. With the race for the royal heir and the focus on Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) and Lady Danbury (Arsema Thomas) in the 1814 storyline, there’s still a lot going on. Queen Charlotte leaves a few loose ends hanging, especially regarding Lady Danbury and Violet. First, the spin-off reveals that Violet is interested in love again, and then it puts a strain on Lady Danbury and Violet’s friendship when Violet learns that her father and Lady Danbury were having an affair. These open storylines could and should be addressed elsewhere, specifically in Bridgerton, since the two shows are already connected. Lady Danbury and Violet played a major role in the original series, making their conflict relevant. Season 3 set up a new love interest for Violet, proving that these stories could continue without a second season of Queen Charlotte.
Likewise, one of the most persistent questions from Queen Charlotte was what happened to Brimsley (Sam Clemmett) and Reynolds (Freddie Dennis)? The series’ first gay couple were important characters in the series, but the ending found Brimsley in 1814 dancing alone as he recalled the moment he shared with
