Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story - Who Was the Real Queen?
Young Charlotte
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The Future Queen Charlotte of Great Britain and Ireland, Electress of Hanover, was born May 19, 1744 as Sophie Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Her family ruled a small duchy in Northern Germany. She received an unremarkable education for a young noblewoman, and had no experience with any kind of court life until her brother assumed the dukedom 1752. At the age of 17 she was, by all accounts a sweet girl, disinterested in political ambition. This made her very attractive to the 22 year old George III, who had recently come into his own throne. Negotiations moved swiftly, and the pair married by proxy in August of 1761. Charlotte set out for her new home braving a particularly rough sea journey to join George in England.
A Royal Love Begins
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It was a moment straight out of a romcom. The nervous young Charlotte allegedly got out of her carriage, and stumbled on her way to present herself to her new husband. He caught her. Adorable, right? The pair were officially married later that same day, September 8, 1761, starting a devoted partnership that would last throughout the rest of their lives. Early in their marriage they bonded by playing music together, and George helped Charlotte study to improve her limited English. It set a pattern for their long relationship to come. Over their years together they were endlessly loving and supportive of each other. Notably, George III is one of the few Hanovarian monarchs who was never known to have any mistresses.
Family Life
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While St. James Palace was the official royal residence, the young King and Queen made their home in the nearby Buckingham House. Their eldest son, also named George, was born less than a year after their marriage. He would be followed by fourteen- yes, fourteen- siblings, twelve of whom survived childhood. Charlotte was an especially devoted mother, though the circumstances of later life would bring out a controlling streak that her children didn’t generally appreciate. However, none of them have yet appeared onscreen in “Bridgerton.” Perhaps that explains why Charlotte is so involved with the love lives of her subjects instead.
Charlotte’s Court
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The royal marriage faced some early hurdles, namely interference from George’s mother, Princess Augusta, which is hinted at in the teaser for “Queen Charlotte.” For the most part, though, the couple seemed to enjoy a very happy life together. Both were passionate devotees of music, and hosted weekly concerts. “Bridgerton” mentions, accurately, how Mozart performed at one such event as a child. He would eventually dedicate his Opus 3 to Charlotte. The royal couple’s court included artists and intellectuals as well as nobles, and Charlotte treated her inner circle like close friends rather than subjects. The Queen was also interested in botany and helped cultivate Kew Gardens. And yes, as seen in “Bridgerton,” she did enjoy her snuff, keeping an entire room at Windsor for her supply.
The Madness of King George
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George III reportedly had his first mental health episode in 1761, and Charlotte was kept unaware. However, when he had another in 1788 there was no hiding the truth from her. George’s affliction, now thought to be porphyria, caused mania, paranoid delusions, and violent outbursts. When he was unwell, a despondent Charlotte would lock herself and the children away from him, and pace endlessly with worry. George suffered these spells off and on until 1810, when the death of his favorite child, Amelia, sent him into a permanent decline. Though his experience was terrible, Charlotte suffered nearly as much. She battled her own depression as a result, and became prone to dramatic mood swings. Unfortunately, her children were often the targets of her temper, which, combined with her growing compulsion to control them, strained those relationships. In “Bridgerton” we see a few painful encounters between Charlotte and the infirmed George, but this is all fiction. Both out of fear for her safety and heartbreak, Charlotte was never with her husband again after he slipped into permanent madness. Though she remained his stalwart guardian to the end of her life.
The Regency
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Though “Bridgerton” begins in 1813, two years into the Regency Period, the regent is conspicuously absent. Or at least the historical regent is. In the show, Queen Charlotte seems to be the sole and undisputed ruler of both the social scene and the United Kingdom. In reality Charlotte was happiest at home, and notably almost totally apolitical. Upon their marriage, George had instructed his wife not to meddle in government, and she was always happy to comply. The Queen did oppose the appointment of her son, the future George IV, as Regent, but it was the strongest public stance she ever took. Under his eventual leadership, she would continue acting as the hostess and first lady of the British court, since George’s relationship with his own wife could make reality TV look tame.
Charlotte on Screen
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Until recently, Charlotte’s depictions on screen were few and far between. Her first noteworthy appearance was in the 1979 miniseries, “Prince Regent,” portrayed by Frances White. It would take another 15 years before she would pop up again, this time in 1994’s, “The Madness of King George.” Starring Helen Mirren as Charlotte, the movie sees her contend with George’s 1788 health episode, and the resulting Regency Crisis. After another long drought, Charlotte would grace our screens again when Golda Rosheuvel brought her to life in “Bridgerton.” The character is not very accurate to what we know of the historical figure, but Rosheuvel’s regal portrayal has made her a fan favorite. So popular, in fact, that the character received her own spin-off prequel in 2023.
The Royal Bloodlines
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With the casting of Gold Rosheuvel came a renewed interest in the question of Queen Charlotte’s race. With a woman of color in the role, an intriguing theory started to gain new attention from curious viewers. Some historians contend that the historical figure might have had some mixed ancestry courtesy of her distant ancestor, Alfonso III of Portugal. Certainly there is a famous portrait of Charlotte in which her features appear racially ambiguous. However, she was several centuries removed from King Alfonso, and there’s a lack of any hard evidence to support the idea. We can never definitively say it isn’t true, but it would be a long shot. It still makes for an interesting game of “What if” though.
Legacy
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At the time of her death in 1818 Charlotte had been Queen consort for 57 years and 70 days, the longest tenure of any royal consort in British history to that point. The record wouldn’t be broken until Prince Phillip surpassed it in 2009. Her name lives on in the many places and institutions that were titled in tribute to her. She’s also credited with bringing the Christmas tree tradition to Britain when she put one up at the Queen’s Lodge Windsor, inspiring a wave of imitators and changing the holidays forever. Meanwhile, the debutante ball that she founded in 1780 continued well into the twentieth century, seeing thousands of nervous young women presented to their monarch over the years. Though it was eventually discontinued in 1978, it made a 21st century comeback, now with an emphasis on networking and the development of professional skills for young women. Charlotte was famously a traditionalist, but we think a modern day Eloise type could persuade her to evolve on her idea of what makes a diamond.
