Bridgerton season three has a subtle reference to a key plot in the Queen Charlotte prequel.
The friendship between Lady Agatha Danbury and Violet Bridgerton is key to the Bridgerton series—and their backstory featured in the Queen Charlotte prequel that dropped on Netflix last year.
In fact, season three of Bridgerton takes place after the “present day” scenes of Queen Charlotte (more on the Bridgerton/Queen Charlotte timeline, here), and there are references to the prequel in the season—particularly in Violet (Ruth Gemmell) and Danbury (Adjoa Andoh)’s storyline.
In one scene in the season finale, the old friends discuss Violet’s blossoming romance with Agatha’s brother, Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis) over drinks. “You will have my support in Francesca’s absence,” Agatha tells Violet, “and also my brother’s, if you wish it.” Violet replies, “we do not have to discuss it,” but Agatha insists that they should.
“Lord Anderson has been an exemplary gentleman, and if you were to give your blessing—” Violet begins to say, before Agatha cuts in and says, “it is certainly not my place to give or withhold a blessing on the matter. You are both adults, you may do as you wish.” After a pause, Lady Danbury adds, “After all, it is not as though I asked your permission.”
If you haven’t seen Queen Charlotte, this comment may be confusing: It is in reference to the fact that in the prequel, a young, newly-widowed Agatha Danbury (Arsema Thomas) has an affair with Violet’s father, Lord Ledger (Keir Charles). In the season three finale, Agatha asks Violet if she knew, to which Violet replies, “I know my father was a good man. And that you have been a very good friend. And that is all I need to know.” The camera then zooms out to a paper crown, which Lord Ledger would make for Violet on her birthday as a young girl, and that he made for Agatha one year.
While there are no plans to make another season of Queen Charlotte, there’s a chance another Bridgerton spin-off could focus on a young Violet Ledger.
