Queen Charlotte: What the Bridgerton spin-off gets right (and wrong) about the real queen consortNetflix's period drama, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, makes no pretence of historical accuracy.
by The Conversation
10-05-2023 14:08
in Entertainment
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story'. Image: suuplied.
Warning: the following article contains spoilers for Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
--
Netflix's period drama, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, makes no pretence of historical accuracy. The opening credits state: It is not a history lesson. It is fiction inspired by fact. As a specialist on the Georgian monarchy who is writing a biography of Queen Charlotte, I was curious to see where fact and fiction meet in the show.
At the heart of the series is Charlotte's relationship with her husband, King George III. In the first episode, Charlotte discovers that her marriage has been agreed to by her elder brother.
In the show, the teenage princess rails against the decision. The real Charlotte, in contrast, amazed her attendants with her calm and cheerful attitude, even in the face of a choppy sea crossing to England.
--
ALSO READ: The stars dazzled at the Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story' Netflix Event [photos]
While the show exaggerates Charlotte's angst, it is reasonable to assume that the 17-year-old princess felt trepidation at leaving her home in northern Germany, to which she would never return.
Portrait of Queen Charlotte by Thomas Gainsborough (1781). Royal Collection In the show, it is the king's mother who chooses Charlotte as a match for her reluctant son. In reality, George III was heavily involved in the choice of his bride. On ascending the throne in 1760, aged 22, he immediately informed his ministers that he wished to marry.
--
A list of suitable candidates - young, Protestant and educated - was assembled and George scrutinised the reports on each of them. One was passed over for having a fondness for philosophy and another missed out because it was believed there was madness in her family.
The king ultimately decided on Princess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who ticked all his boxes. George III was unconcerned that the young princess came from a minor royal family and that she had had a sheltered upbringing - he was just pleased to learn that she had an even temperament and no interest in politics.
ALSO READ: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story' stars to grace SA premiere
The first meeting As Netflix accurately shows, the first meeting between the young couple took place in a garden at St James's Palace, the day after Charlotte arrived in England. They were married that evening, in a ceremony attended by the royal family and leading courtiers.
Coronation portrait of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz by Allan Ramsay (c. 1760-61). Royal Collection Charlotte's wedding outfit was indeed splendid, but it was not chosen by her, as it is in the show. It had been made at the king's command, along with an incredible trove of diamond and pearl jewellery.
In fact, the young queen's wedding gown was so heavily encrusted with jewels that the bodice slipped down, revealing much of Charlotte's chest to the guests.
Although not a love match, George and Charlotte's relationship was a strong one from the beginning. At a ball following the wedding, the king told a courtier that he was too happy with his new queen.
The couple did not lead separate lives, as suggested in the Netflix show. Everywhere the king went, Charlotte followed. When the couple did begin living apart, in the early 1800s, it was due to the king's severe mental decline.
By no means a perfect marriage, George III and Queen Charlotte embodied for many the ideal of a steady companionship built on mutual affection and shared values. Theirs was a largely successful partnership, but the king's illness put intense strain on their relationship, as well as on Charlotte's relationships with her children.
ALSO READ: Queen Charlotte': Netflix releases trailer for Bridgerton' prequel
Charlotte the matriarch One element of the show which does justice to the real Queen Charlotte is her position as matriarch of a large family. Having produced 15 children, 13 of whom lived to adulthood, Charlotte had more than fulfilled the requirement to produce heirs. As the king's health wavered from 1789, Charlotte did her best to hold the family together in the face of many challenges.
In the flash forward sequences of the Netflix show, viewers see an older Queen Charlotte struggling to keep the monarchy and her family on track without the king. With the death of the Prince Regent's daughter, Princess Charlotte, in 1817, the future of the monarchy looked uncertain.
The Wedding of George III by Joshua Reynolds (1761). Royal Collection While the fictional Charlotte seems indifferent to this tragedy, in reality the queen was devastated by her granddaughter's death. The real Charlotte tried to assist her sons in finding suitable wives, but her own health was in decline. She died of heart failure in November 1818, just over a year after the death of her beloved granddaughter.
Charlotte's position as matriarch was one which she maintained not for herself, but for the king. She constantly tried to steer the family in a direction of which the king would have approved, but in doing so, drove a wedge between herself and her children.
George III and Queen Charlotte With Their 13 Children by John Murphy (1794). Royal Collection In the show, the Prince Regent accuses Charlotte of being more a queen than a mother to her own children. The fine balance of royal duty and motherhood was delicate enough, but the king's illness made the real Queen Charlotte's task even harder. Tragically, in his fina
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...
Queen Charlotte: What the Bridgerton spin-off gets right (and wrong) about the real queen consortNetflix's period drama, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, makes no pretence of historical accuracy.
