Queen Charlotte and King George III: What does the 'Bridgerton' prequel get right?
Fans of sexy revisionist romance, rejoice!
"Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" arrived Thursday on Netflix and offers more of the bodice-ripping and exciting modern twists we've come to expect from the "Bridgerton" universe.
Created by Shonda Rhimes, the series cuts between two timelines to explore the life of Queen Charlotte, the monarch who rules with her enormous wigs and tiny dogs. In the 1860s, Charlotte (India Ria Amarteifio), a 17-year-old princess from an obscure principality in Germany, travels to England and is married hours later to King George III (Corey Mylchreest), arguably the most powerful man in the world. She eventually learns that her aloof new husband is seeking extreme treatment for a mysterious mental illness.
Meanwhile, in the 1810s — the time period portrayed in "Bridgerton"— an older Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel, reprising her role from "Bridgerton") — is living apart from her husband, whose mental health has long been in decline. Following the death of her granddaughter in childbirth, Charlotte finds herself increasingly frustrated by her wayward adult children, who have failed to produce enough legitimate heirs to secure the royal line of succession.
The series takes a humanizing look at the diva-like Charlotte, the dramatic circumstances she faced at such a young age and the painful trajectory of her once-happy marriage. It also portrays George as a well-meaning, curious and vulnerable young man afflicted with a poorly understood disease that affected his mental health — a contrast to the caricature of a mad tyrant that Americans are accustomed to from high school history lessons and."
