Top 10 Things You Missed in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
#10: Eloise
As well as following the royal family’s hunt for a new heir to the throne, the modern sections also focus on Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury. They talk about many things, including catching us up on what’s been happening between seasons in order to set up the state of play in season 3. In particular, Violet notes that Eloise is still in a bad mood and unhappy with her situation, which is hardly surprising. She’d only just found out that Penelope is Lady Whistledown when we last saw her, and given season 3 is set to focus on Penelope and Colin, we’re sure this will be a key part of the next set of episodes.
#9: Mozart
Technically, this is something you may have missed back in “Bridgerton” season 1. In an early episode, Queen Charlotte talks about how she once met Mozart and performed an aria with him. This is true, but we weren’t expecting this to be shown fully in her spin-off show. Of all the things that happened to the Queen, a performance by Mozart – who performed for most of Europe’s major royals during his life – is not all that noteworthy. But if you rewatch season 1, you’ll definitely notice it now and be pleasantly surprised by the show’s attention to detail.
#8: Gregory
Much like Eloise, Violet also talks about Gregory, the youngest Bridgerton son, and how he’s apparently had a growth-spurt. It’s a little mysterious what this might refer to – has actor Will Tilston, currently still a teenager, had a growth spurt in real life? Or has the role of Gregory been recast without anybody yet knowing? This wouldn’t be all that surprising, as the role of Francesca Bridgerton has already been recast because of actor Ruby Stokes having scheduling conflicts. As each of the Bridgertons is set to have their own series, it does make sense that they might be recast with older actors, given the adult nature of some parts of the show.
#7: German
Queen Charlotte’s brother, Adolphus, doesn’t appear too many times in the show, only at the beginning and the end where he briefly courts Lady Danbury. But during his few appearances he does, occasionally, let a few German words slip out, which is one of the few times the German heritage of the Queen is clear. He brings up the language again later on, while trying to persuade Lady Danbury to marry him, saying she will quickly learn German if she returns with him. In real life, Adolphus inherited the duchy to become Adolphus Frederick aged 14, and he never actually got married.
#6: Hastings Children
Very briefly, in another flash-forward, we see Violet Bridgerton with two young children. Considering Anthony and Kate won’t have had time to have two children by the time “Queen Charlotte” is set, both the children are undoubtedly Daphne and Simon’s. He ultimately broke the vow he made to his father and did ‘sire an heir’, as he says, at the end of season 1, and fans of the books will know that the Duke and Duchess of Hastings go on to have five children in total. However, given that both Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor have currently ruled out future “Bridgerton” appearances, it’s not clear how many of their kids will appear in the show.
#5: Botany
In real life, the Queen had a keen interest in botany. She was an amateur having not had a very extensive education – something common for royals until the last century – but she still enjoyed plants, and this was one of the few things she WAS taught about. And we see her frequently in the greenhouse at Kew in the show, notably picking oranges. She’s frustrated by Brimsley’s refusal to let her pick the oranges herself, as he has the other servants do it for her. And one very famous flower, the distinct Bird of Paradise, is actually named after her in honor of this passion; its Latin name is “Strelitzia reginae”, as she was a Princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
#4: Violet’s Colors
Back in the present day – at least, as far as “Bridgerton” is concerned – and Violet and Lady Danbury are having their own character arcs play out, as Violet eventually discovers Lady Danbury’s secret affair with Violet’s father. But throughout all this, Lady Danbury eventually convinces Violet that she is more than Edmund Bridgerton’s widow, and Violet comes to the conclusion that she might be ready to find love again. The costume design then took Violet away from the classic duck egg, “Bridgerton blue”, and she’s been able to incorporate some new colors and shades into her wardrobe, showing her openness to new attachments.
#3: Older Daughters
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While the show is very concerned with the lack of heir, it’s never really explained WHY the many princesses haven’t conceived, even if it’s dwelled on by the Queen as she demands they make themselves useful. But in real life, it was the Queen herself who brought this about. She gave birth fifteen times, and according to some sources, kept her daughters close to home and refused to allow them to marry in order to spare them what she had gone through. By all accounts, Charlotte did love her children, but she would have been happy with far fewer of them. By the time they did marry, the princesses were too old to conceive easily.
#2: Wedding Outfits
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More hidden details from the costume department, the designers put a lot into many of the outfits, though some had more Easter eggs than others. The wedding outfits in particular contained all kinds of details. George’s suit, for instance, had English roses embroidered into it, including the White Rose of Yorkshire and Tudor Rose. Charlotte’s wedding dress, on the other hand, had ivy embroidered into it, another symbol of England. This choice was explained by designer Lyn Paolo as showing how Charlotte “was forced to wear a British gown”. She’s later allowed to develop her own style, indicating how much she’s developed as a character AND as the Queen.
#1: People’s Princess
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This one’s actually a little bizarre. Eagle-eyed viewers may have paused the show to get a look at the pamphlet announcing the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales to the masses, and if you did, you’ll have noticed that Lady Whistledown calls Charlotte the “People’s Princess”. In the 21st century, this moniker is obviously familiar to everybody as a name given to Diana, Princess of Wales. Using the same phrase is probably to convey to a modern audience just how shocking the death of Princess Charlotte was at the time. But the term wasn’t used to describe anybody, including Diana, until the 1990s, so it’s a little anachronistic to see it here.
