Queen Charlotte is Breaking All of Our Hearts

Netflix announced that its award-winning show “Bridgerton,” was getting a spin-off show called “Queen Charlotte,” two years ago. It finally came out this year on May 4 and focuses on the character, Queen Charlotte. The series takes place twenty years before “Bridgerton,” and follows Queen Charlotte and King George’s relationship as they face racism, mental illness and death while striving for a more perfect union.

The show does not claim to be historically accurate, but claims the show is based on general facts about Queen Charlotte and King George, who were real-life British monarchs around the 1760s. The show’s opening line says, “It [the show] is not a history lesson. It is fiction inspired by fact.”

The show starts off with Charlotte traveling from Germany to London for her wedding to King George. After a failed attempt at fleeing the wedding, Charlotte gets married to the king. As the couple grows closer, their problems become more than just the racist society they were both born in.

The show’s casting was phenomenal and all of the actors did a great job with their complex roles. It takes brilliant actors to make the audience sympathize with the characters. Casting Corey Mylchreest as King George was a wonderful decision on the producers’ part because he really brought the character to life. I love the way he portrayed the King’s inner turmoil about his mental health, and his responsibilities as king. India Ria Amarteifio, who plays young Queen Charlotte, really fleshes out the Queen and her journey as well.

One of my main issues with the show is the pacing. The first half of the season is pretty dull. It centers around the couple being lonely and Charlotte complaining about George. The first two episodes are especially slow because Charlotte is not doing anything and the side characters were being established. It was hard for me to really get into the show until episode three, but I am so glad that I continued watching. Characters start to learn important revelations at this point, and the show gets really good.

Another thing I liked about the show was its use of dramatic irony and flashbacks. For example, at the beginning of the show, the audience knows that neither of the couples ends up happy together. However, as the show progresses, you slowly start to hope that their inevitable fates are not true. The show also uses flashbacks wonderfully by contrasting moments from the past and the present that leave viewers heartbroken. One powerful scene is cut together from an earlier scene not only mirroring King George’s condition, which causes him not to understand that time has passed, and also reflects the idea that Charlotte will never leave her husband’s side. 

I love the side plot of young Brimsley, played by Sam Clemmett, and Reynolds’s, played by Freddie Dennis, secret relationship. I wish it got more screen time. Young Lady Danbury played by Arsema Thomas was also a wonderful addition to the cast and I did enjoy watching her relationship with the queen even though some aspects of her character are confusing. 

All in all, this show is an amazing watch, and I would recommend anyone looking for a heartbreaking historical romance to watch “Queen Charlotte”. I would rate this show an 8/10.