Netflix just announced a new Bridgerton spinoff prequel series that will focus on young Queen Charlotte. The first season of the period drama brought to life by Shonda Rhimes' Shondaland debuted on Netflix in December 2020 with widespread positive acclaim and has since become the most-watched show on Netflix. Based on Julia Quinn's book series, which follows the lives of eight siblings in Regency-era London, Bridgerton featured the story of Daphne Bridgerton's (Phoebe Dynevor) romance with Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page) in its first season and will highlight Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) in its upcoming second season. Now, after recent renewals for a total of three more upcoming seasons, the Bridgerton universe is set to expand even more with a limited prequel series focusing on Queen Charlotte and her important role.
Bridgerton's current and beloved Queen Charlotte is portrayed by actress Golda Rosheuvel, who previously had some stage credits and some minor movie and TV roles to her name. Rosheuvel originally auditioned for the part of Lady Danbury but found herself at the top of the Bridgerton universe as the reimagined Queen Charlotte, instead. Rosheuvel's portrayal of Her Majesty and a growing interest in the character has now prompted Shondaland to bring Queen Charlotte's backstory as both the real-life monarch and the fictional character to life in the spinoff.
Amid the announcement for the Queen Charlotte story spinoff, Netflix also reported that Jess Brownell will come on as the showrunner for seasons 3 and 4 of Bridgerton, following in the footsteps of creator and executive producer Chris Van Duisen. Rhimes is set to executive produce the Queen Charlotte spinoff series alongside Betsy Beers and Tom Verica. While an official title and several key details for the series have not yet been revealed, there's already a lot to unpack from the new series announcement. Here's what to expect from the upcoming young Queen Charlotte series.
Young Queen Charlotte Prequel Series Release Date
Though excitement is already building, there is no official word just yet as to when Netflix is expected to release the Queen Charlotte spinoff. Per Glamour, production for season 2 of Bridgerton is currently underway with filming taking place in London, and it makes sense that Anthony's quest for love would play out before Queen Charlotte will dominate the screen. Due to the current schedule and any possible complications from the pandemic, it seems that season 2 of Bridgerton will premiere toward the end of this year at the earliest, though 2022 seems more likely. This means that late 2022 looks like the earliest option for the Queen Charlotte release.
Young Queen Charlotte Prequel Series Cast & Characters
In addition to Queen Charlotte, the prequel series is set to tell the stories of young Violet Bridgerton, the titular family matriarch, and young Lady Danbury. This means that the series will likely include the late Edmund Bridgerton and his romance with Violet. It could also feature more details about Lady Danbury's connection with her godson Simon's family. An official cast list has not yet been announced, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see Netflix move on this quickly and begin casting within the next few months.
Young Queen Charlotte Prequel Series Story - What Could Happen?
According to the Netflix statement, the young Queen Charlotte prequel series will primarily focus on the rise and love life of Queen Charlotte. In the first season of Bridgerton, audiences saw glimpses of Her Majesty as an intimidating judge for the debutantes as well as a protective wife whose husband, King George III, known as "Mad King George," is facing a losing battle with what appears to be dementia. It's expected that the spinoff will explore a romanticized retelling of the real-life pair's relationship while also including historical details from Queen Charlotte's origin and reign. Netflix's head of global TV, Bela Bajaria, is excited about what the spinoff will offer. "Many viewers had never known the story of Queen Charlotte before Bridgerton brought her to the world," said Bajaria in the announcement. "I’m thrilled this new series will further expand her story and the world of Bridgerton."