"Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" is a historical fiction television limited series created by Shonda Rhimes for Netflix.
The series is a prequel spin-off of the Netflix series "Bridgerton" and premiered on May 4, 2023, consisting of six episodes that are roughly an hour in runtime each. The show is loosely based on an alternate history take on the rise of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz to prominence and power in the late 18th century.
The series revolves around the arranged marriage of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz to George III of Great Britain. The story explores the challenges faced by the couple, including George's mental illness and Charlotte's struggles to adjust to her new life in the royal court. The show also delves into themes of identity, power, and social change, particularly in the context of the "Great Experiment," where Charlotte's brother, Adolphus, signs a contract marrying her to George III, and Charlotte attempts to run away but is caught by a charming man who turns out to be her future husband.
The series was announced in May 2021, with Shonda Rhimes set as showrunner and writer. The show features a diverse cast, including Adjoa Andoh, India Ria Amarteifio, Golda Rosheuvel, Ruth Gemmell, and Hugh Sachs, reprising their roles from "Bridgerton." The series received generally favorable reviews by critics, who appreciated the performances of the cast and the show's portrayal of historical events. It was nominated at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards for costume design, make-up and hairstyle, winning the latter; Julie Andrews was also nominated for her voice-over performance. Shonda Rhimes won the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Writing, Drama Series and the series was recognized at the NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Drama Series.
The series features a score composed by Kris Bowers, who also worked on the original soundtrack projects for the series through Sony Music. The first project, "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (Soundtrack from the Netflix Series)," was supervised by Bowers, with co-production by Max Wrightson and co-writing of some tracks by Alec Sievern and Michael Dean Parsons. The second project, "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (Covers from the Netflix Series)," provided for the reinterpretation in a classical music key of pop songs from Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, SZA, Dolly Parton, and Whitney Houston discography.
The series debuted at number one in 91 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, South Africa, and Canada, and topped the Netflix Global Weekly Top 10 on May 7, 2023. The show's success has been attributed to its unique portrayal of historical events and its exploration of themes such as identity, power, and social change.