Prepare to get to know Queen Charlotte like never before (Picture: Liam Daniel/Netflix)
While fans of Bridgerton are eagerly awaiting any news of when season 3 is going to come out, for now, they have the perfect treat to enjoy in the meantime.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story finally arrives on Netflix with the release date landing on May 4, with Golda Rosheuvel and India Amarteifio leading the cast as the titular royal.
The Queen has been a fan-favourite character ever since she made her debut on Bridgerton, carefully selecting the Diamonds of the social season while overseeing the matchmaking taking place within the Ton.
For viewers who haven’t read the Bridgerton books written by Julia Quinn, they may be wondering if the royal plays as significant a role within the pages.
Here’s what you need to know.
Is Queen Charlotte based on the Bridgerton books?
While the original Bridgerton series is based on the books by Julia, the new prequel spin-off series focusing on Queen Charlotte is not.
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In actual fact, Queen Charlotte herself doesn’t even appear in the novels, despite her vital presence in the first two seasons of the Bridgerton show.
In addition to creating the show Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, Shonda and Julia co-wrote a brand new novel named after the royal, which will be on sale a few days after the drama premieres on Netflix.
‘Having never actually appeared in Quinn’s original books, Queen Charlotte was created to build out Shondaland’s on-screen world of Bridgerton,’ it states on the Shondaland website.
While Queen Charlotte was indeed a real person, Shonda has emphasised that the character at the centre of her new series is a fictional interpretation of the figure.
Newcomer India Amarteifio delivers a magnificent performance as the young Queen (Picture: Liam Daniel/Netflix)
‘Although Queen Charlotte is a real historical figure, this is not a history lesson. It is very important that people understand that, because I’m telling the story of Queen Charlotte of Bridgerton, not of Queen Charlotte of England,’ she told The Express.
‘I loved delving into the romance between Charlotte and King George, it was really fascinating. I also wanted to show people what that kind of love is like, even though they already know how it ends up. I thought it was a real challenge.’
Where is Queen Charlotte set in the Bridgerton timeline?
While Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is a prequel, it actually flits between two different time periods.
On one hand, the show transports viewers to the past, when Charlotte was first chosen as the suitor to marry King George III of England, forced to leave her home country of Germany against her will to go through with the marriage, which ended up being a strong match.
The Queen’s secretary Brimsley (Hugh Sachs) has been by her side since the start of her reign (Picture: Liam Daniel/Netflix)
The teenage Queen had many obstacles to overcome, including her husband’s overbearing mother and developing her connection with the King, while he kept a big secret concealed from her.
Then back in present day, Queen Charlotte is as regal as she’s ever been while facing a dilemma – not having an heir to inherit the throne one day from any of her many children.
When is Queen Charlotte released on Netflix?
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story premieres on Thursday May 4 on Netflix, with episodes expected to drop from 8am BST.
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The limited series consists of six episodes, all of which are at least 50 minutes long, with the final two instalments even longer, clocking up at more than six hours of overall viewing.
The first two seasons of Bridgerton are also available to stream on Netflix.
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MORE : What happened to Queen Charlotte at the end of Bridgerton season 2?
If you haven’t read the books, listen up.