¡°Love is not a thing that one is able or not able to do based on some magic, chemistry that is for plays. Love is determination. Love is a choice one makes. You take someone in marriage and you choose to love them. You do not give yourself any other option because marriage is difficult, full of pains and the life of a royal is lonely. So, you grab someone and you hang on to them. You love and you love hard because if you do not you are lost.¡±
-----Queen Charlotte
There are some stories that leave an imprint on the audience's mind for a long, long time. The story of Queen Charlotte and King George turned out to be just that. The complicated love story of the regency era which was a passing mention in the first two seasons of Shonda Rhimes¡¯ Bridgerton universe finally got its own prequel which revolved around the backstory of Charlotte from Germany tying the knot with the mysterious King of England George, the third.?
While Bridgerton sure enjoys a massive fandom, the fate of the prequel couldn¡¯t be determined at the time of the announcement. Now that the show is out, people on the internet cannot stop themselves from raving about Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story and rightly so!
Queen Charlotte has paved the way for a lot of discussions on the internet. While some have been swooning over Charlotte and George¡¯s bittersweet saga, others are just frustrated about not getting closure for Brimsley and Reynolds secretive yet soulful relationship.
We are made privy to younger versions of several characters that play pivotal roles in Bridgerton. First and foremost, headstrong and feisty German girl Charlotte who is betrothed to the King by her own brother. She is shown in two minds about entering into a marriage with a man who is deemed as the most eligible groom by the world but for her he¡¯s a mere stranger who is likely to be' a beast or a troll' as no one knows any info about him?
The official synopsis of the series reads, "Young Queen Charlotte's marriage to King George of England sparks an epic love story and transforms high society in this "Bridgerton" universe prequel."
Queen Charlotte is a complex character. Period. Even in the first two seasons of the series Bridgerton, she comes across as uptight and secretive but maintains a cold and invincible stature as she rules over one of the most powerful countries of the world. The prequel delves into finer details as to why she turns out to be the ice queen.?
On the day of the nuptials, she is shown to be trying to escape from her impending marriage and this ballsy move is interrupted by none other than George, the King! His charm and straightforwardness maneuvers the decision to the altar and thus, the unison is officialised in a grand ceremony. However, things do turn out to be for the worse when she is met with indifference and neglect from the king right after the ceremony concludes.
We are then told why King George is so aloof and detached. Battling mental health issues, he maintains a safe distance from his wife as he fears for her well-being. This protectiveness which stems out of deep love is unveiled by Charlotte gradually.?
Their tumultuous relationship undergoes several complicated situations but Charlotte is determined to fight for her husband and marriage. Her confidants Lady Danbury and Brimsley(her secretary) are her biggest support and ready to fight everyone who stands in her way.?
During the course of the six episodes, the character that brings out all sorts of emotions of the viewers is George. He is charming, virile yet vulnerable. He wants his wife and his queen to never second-guess herself. He is ready to stand by her in every situation that he can and has no inhibitions about leaning on her in his lowest times. With every episode, he breaks our heart with his deteriorating health and his fighting spirit.
It gets easier to fathom why Charlotte stood up for him when she could have easily gotten out. This kind of story despite belonging to the regency era comes across as relatable as it doesn¡¯t paint a rosy picture but a realistic one. Love is not easy and quitting is not an option!
Bridgerton provided a surprising and much-needed change as Shonda Rhimes & Julia Quinn brought to life some idol-worthy matriarchs and women of color. Continuing with the tradition, even the prequel is headlined by strong female characters. Right from the Queen to the maids, every woman brings a massive tide of power which is infectious and applause-worthy. Charlotte and Agatha¡¯s budding friendship was a sight for sore eyes, where the two always had the best interests for each other.?
Special mention to Augusta, George¡¯s mother who initially came across as the villain but by the end of the series, she became Charlotte¡¯s silent cheerleader. Her character's layers are also revealed eventually where she is sympathetic towards her son's sufferings which ultimately affects his bride but at the same time she is grateful that Charlotte didn't give up on her son.
Trivia: Augusta is played by actress Michelle Fairly who played the role of Catleyn Stark, wife of Ned Stark and mother of Arya, Sansa, Robb, Bran and Rickon in hit fantasy series Game Of Thrones!
The character trajectories, the background music and the soul-crushing dialogues are the MVPs of this fabulous show! Another aspect that fans cannot stop gushing about is the casting! The younger actors playing the iconic roles are so on-point that one cannot help but gape at the striking resemblances and similarities - be it the Queen, Lady Danbury or George.
While the central plot of the series was definitely Charlotte-George marriage and lineage, the sub-plot that garnered a lot of attention was that of their secretaries Brimsley and Reynolds. Both loyal to a fault, they performed their duties to their majesties with utmost perfection yet had a soft side which they brought out only for each other.?
Maintaining their relationship behind closed doors was difficult yet they made the most out of it. However, they seldom let their fondness for each other affect their responsibilities towards the king and the queen. In fact, they often locked horns as they sided with their masters respectively.
One scene in particular led to a large debate where Brimsley is shown dancing all by himself right after the scene of his younger self dancing in the similar manner with the love of his life Reynolds. When the scene cuts to the present, he is shown all alone longing for his partner.
Internet discussions pointed out to the fact that Reynolds is never shown in the first two seasons of Bridgerton, not even once! This has led to several speculations about what happened to him.
Hugh Sachs, the actor who plays the older version of Brimsley, revealed what happened to the new favorite couple in the 'Ton in his latest interview.
"There was a scene that we didn't film because it was cut, where I was going to meet the older Reynolds," Hugh told Vulture. "He was the love of his life, and for whatever reason, they could not stay together. So when they would pass each other in the passageway in the deleted scene, it wasn't a toxic moment. Because of the world they inhabited, it was still a hangable offense to be gay, and it was just not possible."
Let¡¯s hope the makers clear the air in the second season of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story as fans are equally invested in their love story as much as Charlotte and George's!
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