‘Queen Charlotte’: an aching prequel of the dramatic ‘Bridgerton’
"Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" is a skillfully crafted prequel to the "Bridgerton" series that provides extra insight into how this opulent society came to be, while delving into the backstories of the characters. We follow two timelines, the main one being the past where Queen Charlotte finds her footing in her new home and reign. The other time frame shows us the future of all of the characters.
Heavy is the head that wears the crown but Queen Charlotte compassionately dealt with the king's descent into insanity. India Amarteifio's wonderful portrayal of Queen Charlotte rendered sympathy in me for the character's plights. Corey Mylchresst who played the mad King George had an amazing charm right from the start. There is palpable chemistry between the two of them which endured throughout the highs and lows of their marriage.
What started out as a marriage of convenience between her and the mad King George ended up being a love story marked by unwavering faith and poignant sacrifices. Queen Charlotte and King George have neither a fairytale love story nor a tragic one. Even though George's mental distress persisted throughout the decades, the glimpse of the man he used to be and the relationship they used to have can be seen. It makes the final scene of this six-part series all the more emotional and reminds us love is worth the heartache.
Brimsley and Reynolds, the Queen and King's respective right-hand men have one of the most interesting side-plots but their love story ends on a cliffhanger. Regardless, their story felt just as important as the main characters.
Lady Danbury's back story showed us her journey towards finding her identity and being free. Lady Danbury is known to be the epitome of virtue but we learn that life has not always been kind to her. She had quite the unfortunate marriage but her love life, which she wished to keep discreet, was delightful while it lasted. But she equipped herself with the qualities that were required for her to turn around her fate. Her great friendship with both Queen Charlotte and Violet Bridgerton captured some lovely, empowering and tender moments.
From the fate of Reynolds and Brimsley to the truth about Lady Danbury's life, many truths unfold in the last episode. Some scenes are intensely heartbreaking while others are heart-warming.
The trend of orchestral covers of pop songs reigns in this series too. The classical renditions of "Halo" by Beyoncé and "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston were quite moving, especially because they played during romantic dancing scenes between the couples. The costumes and jewelry, on the other hand, are ghastly. The older Queen Charlotte does have an exquisite and unique style.
Admittedly, this series does a shabby job of marrying modern day discrimination with periodic drama. It wants to challenge authority through the Great Experiment, however, there is hardly ever any profound discussion about dismantling institutionalized racism. Lady Danbury's story had some hint of challenging societal norms, but it lies in the shadows as the limelight is on Charlotte and George's blossoming love.
Therefore, the show steadfastly remains a fantasy that only pulls from history occasionally while trying to balance various storylines. While I wish more focus was put on the struggles and successes of Charlotte and George's relationship, the Bridgerton prequel is still a riveting series to binge watch.