Queen Charlotte is the hottest series on Netflix at the bottom, having been in the top 10 since it landed on the streaming service on 4 May. People love it for its drama, incredible costumes and steamy scenes, but what many people may not have realised is that Queen Charlotte is actually based on a true story.
It’s not made explicitly clear in the main Bridgerton TV series, but in this prequel we’re delving into the life of Queen Charlotte and her husband King George, who you may know from school history lessons as Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and King George III.
See, Bridgerton isn’t just entertainment, sometimes we learn too.
Queen Charlotte - played by India Ria Amartoifio in the series – and ‘Mad’ King George as he was known, ruled over the United Kingdom from 1760 after the death of King George’s grandfather King George II. When King George III died in 1820 at the age of 81, he was succeeded by his son King George IV.
Whilst there is a lot of embellishment surrounding the storyline – think of Queen Charlotte as a 1700s The Crown - much of what we see in the series is accurate. Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz did move from North Germany and marry the king in 1761.
Their marriage lasted 57 years until her death in 1818 and they produced 15 children, 13 of whom survived to adulthood. Charlotte and George’s eldest son George IV became king on George’s death and was later succeeded by his brother William IV, but sadly – much like their mother predicted – both kings failed to produce an heir and upon King William IV’s death, Queen Victoria, William’s niece claimed the throne.
The other main plotline of Queen Charlotte that is factual is the storyline surrounding King George III and his madness, beautifully portrayed by Corey Mylchreest. George III had a mental illness called acute mania, known in modern society as bipolar disorder. Eventually his disorder – likely because so little was known about it at the time – lead to his seclusion after Charlotte’s death in 1818, and eventually he succumbed to pneumonia and died on 29 January 1820.
The series isn’t short on subtle factual elements as well including Queen Charlotte’s introduction of Christmas trees to the UK, the fact that the couple resided at both St James’ Palace and Buckingham House, and Charlotte’s determination to modernise the role of the Queen.
Fingers crossed for a series two… for education purposes of course!