Bridgerton’s Queen Charlotte is an eccentric character in both personality and appearance. One of her most interesting traits is the constant presence of Pomeranian dogs in the royal court, but it’s a trait that isn’t explained until watching Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The reason is both heartwarming and tragic.
Played by Golda Rosheuvel on Bridgerton and India Ria Amarteifio on the Bridgerton spin-off, Queen Charlotte presides over the royal court with unwavering certainty, acting as matchmaker to the season’s diamond—as well as Charlotte and George’s 15 children. Despite being a main character on Bridgerton, much of the queen’s backstory remains a mystery in the early seasons of Bridgerton. However, Queen Charlotte provides much-needed insight into both how the queen came to her role and how she became enamored with Pomeranians.
While Bridgerton meets Queen Charlotte at the end of her reign, the spin-off series explores the early days of her marriage to her husband, George III — played by Corey Mylchreest. Due to the severity of George’s mental illness, the couple spent much of their first year apart, causing Charlotte to become frustrated with George’s evasive behavior. As a result, he gave her a Pomeranian as an apology.
The gift, while a sweet gesture, is also a heartbreaking one, as it reminds of the torture George endured in an attempt to treat his illness. In Queen Charlotte, episode four, “Holding the King,” George steals the Pomeranian from John Monro, the doctor who performed his treatment, known as the “Great Method.” Monro used the Pomeranian as an example of an animal forced into submission; this was his intention for George. Charlotte’s attachment to the Pomeranian thus symbolizes her attachment to George and her acceptance of his status. Queen Charlotte’s choice of pet is not the only remnant of her relationship with George. Prioritizing the modern imperial silhouette of the Regency period, only Queen Charlotte is said to have favored the structured dresses and high hair of the Georgian period. This immediately set Charlotte apart from the rest of the aristocracy while also having the seemingly unintended effect of cementing her as a relic of the past. Like many women of her age, Charlotte retained the silhouette that was popular in her youth (via Shondaland). However, like the Pomeranian, Queen Charlotte’s fashion was also another way she expressed her devotion to her husband. In Queen Charlotte, the combination of elaborate dresses and wigs was a popular fashion during the early reigns of the king and queen. The empire style seen in Bridgerton didn’t become popular until the late 18th century, by which time the historical King George III had been married to Queen Charlotte for 40 years. Presumably, the change in popular fashions follows the same pattern in the Bridgerton universe as it does in the real world.
The reason Charlotte continued to wear unfashionable fashions until the Regency was… for George’s benefit.
This means that George would have been very familiar with Charlotte’s Georgian style. Therefore, the reason Charlotte continued to wear unfashionable fashions until the Regency was for George’s benefit. In Queen Charlotte, George was unable to rule on his own due to his failing mental health—he needed a regent to rule in his stead—and he only recognized Charlotte when she looked like she did when they were first married. The unfashionable dress, like the Pomeranian, was another symbol of her attachment and devotion to George amid his troubles throughout Bridgerton.
