Showrunner Jess Brownell has addressed Queen Charlotte’s fate in Bridgerton. Following concern from fans, the EP joined TV Line for an interview, where she addressed the possibility of the character’s death.
With season three of Bridgerton taking place approximately three years before the real-life monarch would pass away in 1818, Jess was asked if she and fellow producer, Shonda Rhimes, will stay true to history.
“I worship Golda Rosheuvel, and I think she’s so fantastic in her role. Shonda [Rhimes] and I, internally, have just decided that we’re in an alternate dimension,” replied Jess.
Noting that Bridgerton has created an alternate history in which Lady Danbury and Queen Charlotte had created a more inclusive society, Jess added: “There’s potential that in this timeline, Queen Charlotte could live forever.”
It’s not the first time that the Bridgerton showrunner has addressed Queen Charlotte’s future either. Earlier this This week, Jess was quizzed about her arc in a separate interview with Variety.
Reiterating the creative freedom that she and Shonda have on the show, the EP replied: “In reality, Queen Charlotte dies at a certain point that’s not far away. But we have sort of intentionally gone away from specifying what year we are in — even though it’s probably pretty easy to work out.
“But we just love Golda and Queen Charlotte so much that we’re trying to avoid time. And we’re in an alternate universe, in our universe, because of The Great Experiment. We’re just in a different dimension and maybe Queen Charlotte lives longer in that dimension.”
Following the release of Season Three Part Two this week, the showrunner has also answered questions about the next instalment, which will likely land on Netflix in two years. While it’s unclear which Bridgerton sibling will take centre stage, it’s thought that Benedict, played by the inimitable Luke Thompson, could be handed the baton in season four.
“Well, there are some clues at the end of this season, in episode eight, about where we’re heading with Benedict, and there’s a lot more to come from his storyline,” Jess told Teen Vogue. “We’ll continue exploring his fluidity, and we’re continuing to explore his relationship to what he wants out of life.”
Jess also reflected on Francesca’s future love story, which will see the Bridgerton sister falling for her late husband’s cousin, Michaela.
“The reveal of Michaela versus Michael, from the books, is something that I’ve been pitching from season one of the show,” she said.
“My approach to telling a queer story on Bridgerton has been to look to the books for thematic cues. I didn’t want to just insert a queer character for queer character’s sake. I want to tell a story that accurately reflects a queer experience, and the first time I read Francesca’s book, I really identified with it as a queer woman. Maybe not in the way Julia Quinn intended.”
