Few shows have caught fire in recent times as much as Bridgerton and now fans will be treated to a six-episode prequel of this period drama titled Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023). The story will focus on her rise to power and romance with King George III, which based on the teaser trailer will be just as steamy as previous Bridgerton romances.
Bridgerton is originally based on Julia Quinn's novels about British nobility in the Regency era, however, this is the first time that the Netflix team is telling a story not completely based on the books. The creative team is led by the showrunner of the previous two Bridgerton seasons, Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy), and her production company, Shondaland. The alternate reality version of English society in the Bridgerton universe is racially integrated, therefore the cast of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is much more diverse than other period pieces.
There will be multiple returning cast members and many new ones joining the world of Bridgerton. Some of the new actors will be playing younger versions of the characters that we all know and love and others will be creating entirely new characters. Now let's take a look at the who's who of the new series.
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte
Possibly the most sassy and sophisticated member of English society, Queen Charlotte rules with elegance and strength. She takes a keen interest in her subjects' personal lives, having to know everything about everyone. Commanding respect and loyalty, she has made it her main mission to discover the identity of Lady Whistledown, the gossip queen of the ton.
Queen Charlotte is played by Guyanese-British actress Golda Rosheuvel whose acting chops are as big as her wigs. Rosheuvel is experienced on both stage and screen, most recently playing the role of Shadout Mapes in the hit Dune. This is not Rosheuvel's first period piece either, as she has been in the film Lady McBeth and stage productions of The Winter's Tale and Romeo and Juliet. Rosheuvel was nominated for a Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) Award for her portrayal of Queen Charlotte on Bridgerton.
India Amarteifio as Young Queen Charlotte
Every great ruler started somewhere, and it is no different for Queen Charlotte of England. English society was not always as inclusive as it was before Charlotte came along and began a relationship with the King. But these two love birds shook things up and forever changed history (at least in this version of history). Viewers get to meet the young couple just as the flower of their romance begins to bud. But Charlotte has a lot to learn to become the poised and magnificent queen that Bridgerton fans adore.
Taking her seat on the throne is India Amarteifio. Similarly to Golda Rosheuvel, who plays Charlotte at an older age, Amarteifio has quite a bit of experience in the world of theater. She has also appeared numerous times on different television series, such as The Tunnel, Line of Duty, and The Midwich Chronicles.
Adjoa Andoh as Lady Agatha Danbury
Reprising her role as Lady Danbury is Adjoa Andoh who succeeds at bringing ferocity and poise to the character. For those of you not familiar with Bridgerton, Danbury acts as a pseudo-mother to the Duke of Hastings and the love interest of the first season of Bridgerton Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page). Previous works of Andoh's include the film Invictus, as well as the television series Law and Order: UK, Casualty, and Thunderbirds Are Go.
Arsema Thomas as Young Agatha Danbury
Audiences get to see a different side of Lady Danbury in the years when she was married. She is the wife to Lord Danbury and a type of mentor to Queen Charlotte, guiding her through how to act in London society.
Arsema Thomas scored big booking this job, with this being one of her first few roles in the business. She previously acted in one episode of the TV series One Touch and in the romance movie Redeeming Love.
Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Ledger Bridgerton
Lady Violet Bridgerton is the adoring mother of the eight Bridgerton siblings. After the tragic death of her husband, she becomes the head of the family and takes on the enormous task of marrying off her older children who are out in society. Lady Bridgerton is a caring and dedicated mother who wants all of her children to have wonderful and loving marriages as she once had. Ruth Gemmell brings Lady Bridgerton to life, providing us with a performance that makes the audience feel her concern for her children's welfare and future. You may have seen her previously in the film Fever Pitch with Colin Firth or the TV series Silent Witness, Penny Dreadful, and Home Fires.
Hugh Sachs as Brimsley
Returning as Queen Charlotte's butler Brimsley is Hugh Sachs. Brimsley is the Queen's right-hand man and is extremely loyal to her. He aids Queen Charlotte in her search for the identity of Lady Whistledown. Sachs has lots of experience acting on TV, being best known for his role as Gavin Ramsbottom in the British sitcom Benidorm. Some of his other shows include Aristocrats, M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team, and The Shell Seekers. Young Brimsley is being brought to life by Sam Clemmett.
Corey Mylchreest as Young King George III
This is the first time viewers are able to see King George as a healthy ruler and romantic lead. In Bridgerton it is revealed that the king is unwell, therefore we don't get to see much of him. This is actually true to real life as King George suffered from a mysterious illness that left him unfit to rule or even be the face of the monarchy. The representative of the monarchy ended up falling to Charlotte in order to display a family of power and health. The king will be played by Corey Mylchreest. His previous acting credits include an episode of The Sandman and a short film titled Mars.
Apart from these leading characters, there are several new faces joining the ton, including Tunji Kasim (Nancy Drew) as Adolphus, Young Queen Charlotte's brother. Lady Vivian Ledger and Lord Ledger, Lady Violet Bridgerton's parents, are portrayed by Katie Brayben (Roslund & Hellstrom: Cell 8) and Keir Charles (Green Wing). The mother of the King, Princess Augusta, will be played by Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones). Other characters include Cyril Nri (This Life) as Lord Danbury, Connie Jenkins-Greig (Mr. Selfridge) as Young Lady Bridgerton, Richard Cunningham (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) as Lord Bute, Rob Maloney (Coronation Street) as the Royal Doctor, and Freddie Dennis (The Nevers) as Reynolds.
Where to Watch the First Two Seasons of Bridgerton
If you want to see into the futures of Queen Charlotte and King George, you can watch Seasons 1 and 2 of Bridgerton, which are available to stream on Netflix. They aren't the main characters or focus of the plot, but Bridgerton will give you a greater understanding of the king and queen. Or maybe you don't want to spoil anything and prefer to wait until you've seen the prequel to watch Bridgerton, and that's ok too! But you must watch it at some point, or you are missing out on the juiciest gossip of high society.