Welcome to the Ton! Following Bridgerton’s initial success, Shonda Rhimes has invested in expanding the world of Julia Quinn’s novels beyond just the Bridgerton family — starting with Queen Charlotte.
In December 2020, the historical drama introduced viewers to the glamorous life of London’s (primarily fictional) elite. Set during the Regency era, the social season’s biggest events revolved around Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) herself. The witty royal quickly became a fan-favorite, taking on a much bigger role in the second season.
The reimagined character, who did not appear in Quinn’s books, was inspired by the real-life sovereign who ruled the U.K. until her death in 1818. Ahead of the show’s season 2 release, Rhimes revealed that the first spinoff of the series, titled Queen Charlotte, would center on the matriarch’s rise to power and prominence.
“Many viewers had never known the story of Queen Charlotte before Bridgerton brought her to the world, and I’m thrilled this new series will further expand her story and the world of Bridgerton,” said Netflix’s Head of Global TV Bela Bajaria in a statement in May 2021. “Shonda and her team are thoughtfully building out the Bridgerton universe so they can keep delivering for the fans with the same quality and style they love. And by planning and prepping all the upcoming seasons now, we also hope to keep up a pace that will keep even the most insatiable viewers totally fulfilled.”
Rosheuvel, who portrays the royal on the Netflix hit, later hinted at what fans can expect from the upcoming series. “I can tell you that it’s an origin story,” she told E! News in March 2022. “So you will be seeing a younger Queen Charlotte, I will be in it. We have no film date or any kind of scripts or anything at the moment.”
In addition to following the rise and love life of Her Majesty, the spinoff will also tell the stories of young Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury.
While Rosheuvel and Adjoa Andoh will return as the queen and Lady Danbury, respectively, India Amarteifio and Arsema Thomas will portray the respective younger versions of the characters. Ruth Gemmell, for her part, will also return as Violet Bridgerton with a younger version played by Connie Jenkins-Greig.
As for King George, Corey Mylchreest will play him as a young adult, while Game of Thrones actress Michelle Fairley will star as his mother, the Dowager Princess Augusta.
In June 2022, Deadline confirmed that British actors Katie Brayben and Keir Charles had been cast in the prequel as Vivian Ledger and Lord Ledger, respectively. Details about the new characters have not yet been released, but it appears that they will both play a significant role in the story of Queen Charlotte’s early days on the throne.
Netflix released the first sneak peek of the spinoff during its TUDUM presentation in September 2022. In the clip, Charlotte unknowingly meets her future husband — the king — just as she’s trying to scale a garden hedge to escape their arranged nuptials. The less than two-minute video was an instant hit among viewers, with fans quickly taking to social media to share their enthusiasm and excitement for the upcoming series.
Scroll down to read more about the actors who will star as Queen Charlotte’s queen and king: