According to a report from Town and Country Magazine, Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes will co-write a prequel to the Bridgerton anthology.
While Bridgerton fans are eagerly awaiting the third season of the series to hit Netflix, there’s some news that will get readers excited. It’s a new story written by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes about Queen Charlotte.
Avon Books has announced information about the work. Accordingly, the new book will “focus on Queen Charlotte’s rise to power”. The prequel will “tell the story of the young Queen Charlotte’s marriage to King George. The story of this couple is a great love story and a source of new social change, creating the world in which the Bridgerton characters survive and weave their stories”.
The untitled film will tie into another Bridgerton spinoff that is currently in production. The spinoff will also focus on a young Queen Charlotte, played by India Amarteifio. Golda Rosheuvel will also return as Queen Charlotte at the height of her power.
“I was very excited about taking Bridgerton from the pages of the books to the screen,” said Julia Quinn in a statement. “It was also an exciting challenge for me to tell the story in a different way. This time, Shonda’s wonderful vision has been translated into a novel.”
Quinn added: “I was particularly excited to have the opportunity to write about Queen Charlotte, who was not in the original novel. Her character and Golda Rosheuvel’s brilliant portrayal of her was a wonderful exploration. I also think readers will enjoy the opportunity to get to know Queen Charlotte in more depth.”
Co-author Rhimes also expressed: “Queen Charlotte is a character with a very moving personal story. Having the opportunity to work with Julia to turn Charlotte’s story into a book was exciting. I can’t wait for fans around the world to read the story of a character who has resonated so deeply with our audiences.”
Queen Charlotte was, in fact, a real historical figure. She was born a German noblewoman and married King George III in 1761. It’s not yet clear how her story will be told in the book, or whether Queen Charlotte and King George’s 15 children will appear in the new work.
While a release date for the new prequel has not been announced, publisher Avon has revealed that the release date will coincide with the release of the new Bridgerton series on Netflix. The new series is still being filmed.