Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story rightfully earned its place among romance royalty when it waltzed its way onto screens just weeks ago. A prequel to Netflix’s hugely popular regency drama Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte explores the messy but undeniably addictive love story of Princess Charlotte (India Amarteifio) and King George (Corey Mylchreest). While the show undoubtedly earned its rave reviews from audiences and critics alike mainly for its hearty love story, there was a powerful tale of female empowerment pumping through the veins of the show. That is, the story of Lady Agatha Danbury (Arsema Thomas). Rightfully hailed, the story spotlights the brutal reality of regency life for young women who were often disregarded and seen as mere vehicles for breeding and male satisfaction. The brutal realities were highlighted in a truly unfiltered and difficult-to-watch way during Queen Charlotte, something Thomas felt was particularly important to Lady Danbury’s narrative.
There are countless sequences where audiences are forced to watch Lady Danbury endure her husband Lord Herman Danbury’s (Cyril Nri) countless advances with a total lack of concern as to whether his wife also wishes to be with him. In fact, it is instead conveyed as if a woman simply does not possess the ability to desire but rather only to perform a duty hence making for particularly challenging viewing.
Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar, Thomas told how the frequency of the uncomfortable scenes plays a vital role in capturing Agatha’s misery, which Thomas certainly felt strongly about. She said: “It’s such an important thing to show because it does underline the monotony and how entrenched Agatha is in this position. You need to see how many years this has been going on, you need to see just how different she is and how imprisoned she is from the version that we all know and love in Bridgerton. It was one of the moments where I started to differ from Agatha because she truly has no say in this entire situation and the only way to show that is to show her in a position where her pleasure is not prioritized and the most dutiful thing that she can do is to give her body.”
Lady Danbury and Lord Danbury’s Tumultuous Marriage is Pivotal in Agatha’s Growth
The actress also admitted she lost track of how many takes she and Nri did reveal that they would film a couple of takes, change clothes and then do another two as there were numerous sequences of the pair throughout the show. The way Lady Danbury is treated throughout her marriage to Lord Danbury plays a pivotal role in her growth in the aftermath of his death. This includes an incredibly powerful light bulb moment where Agatha comes to realize she does indeed possess her own wants and desires when given the freedom to live life for more than her ability to breed and please. Her first experience of indulging in her whims comes in the form of a brief encounter with Lord Ledger – the first man she encounters that acknowledges her ability to.
Lady Danbury’s path to self-fulfillment and self-empowerment proves to be a milestone journey that sees her eventually choose herself over any subsequent beneficial marriage – even one that can offer her security and safety. This carries into her older years with Agatha never settling down with anyone and instead choosing to live life on her own terms making for one hell of a journey.
