'Bridgerton's 'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story' Debuts First Look

Netflix has been teasing its untitled spinoff prequel featuring Queen Charlotte since before the release of Bridgerton Season 2. Filming for the new series began shortly after Season 2's debut and wrapped not long after Season 3 officially went into production. Ahead of its yearly TUDUM event, the streaming service finally revealed a photo (above) from the limited series and the title, promising more to come. In what may be something of an anti-climatic moment, the show was called exactly what you might assume it would: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. 

However, though that may not have been the most exciting name the series could have gone with, it does hint at a styling that suggests there are more limited series to come. (For easy comparison, think Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story.) It also ends any hoped-for tieback to author Julia Quinn's actual Bridgerton prequel books, The Rokesby Series. The title gives the show its stamp of ownership as a story devised and created by producer Shonda Rhimes, despite Quinn's announcement she will be releasing Queen Charlotte's story as her next novel.

Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story were teased back-to-back at TUDUM, with the titles revealed for the first episodes. For Bridgerton, Episode 301, the title is "Out of the Shadows," penned by the series' new showrunner Jess Brownell and directed by Tricia Brock, who helmed two Bridgerton episodes in Season 2. The title page for Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story was teased earlier, with Episode 101 as "Queen to Be," penned by Rhimes and directed by Tom Verica, a long-time Shondaland director with Bridgerton, Scandal, How To Get Away With Murder, Private Practice, and Gray's Anatomy episodes to his name.

Bridgerton also teased the opening lines of Season 3's first episode. (Proof, in case we needed it, that there was no footage ready to go as yet.)

Dearest gentle reader, We’ve been apart for far too long. At last, London’s smart set has made its return, and so too has this author. As the season begins, the question on everyone’s mind, of course, is, which newly minted debutante will shine the brightest. The crop this year proves to be rather dazzling indeed. Unfortunately, not every young lady can attract the light.

As for Queen Charlotte, there was no official trailer, but Rhimes did bring a scene from what will presumably be the series premiere episode.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story will star India Amarteifio as Charlotte, Connie Jenkins-Greig, as Violet Ledger, and Arsema Thomas as Agatha Danbury, with Golda Rosheuvel, Ruth Gemmell, and Adjoa Andoh reprising their roles as the older versions of the characters. Sam Clemmett will play Brimsley, with Hugh Sachs reprising his role as the elder version; Corey Mylchreest is King George, though so far, the older version, played by James Fleet, has not been confirmed. The rest of the cast includes Michelle Fairley, Richard Cunningham, Tunji Kasim, Rob Maloney, Keir Charles, Katie Brayben, and Cyril Nri. 

Meanwhile, Bridgerton Season 3 will focus on the romance between Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington and Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton, with Bridgerton sister Claudia Jessie, Penelope's BFF, also moved to top-billing. Rosheuvel, Gemmell, and Andoh co-star, with Phoebe Dynevor, Jonathan Bailey, Simone Ashley, Luke Thompson, Hannah Dodd, Florence Hunt, and Will Tilston as the Bridgerton clan and Polly Walker, Harriet Cains, Bessie Carter, and Lorraine Ashbourne as the Featheringtons. Other notable returnees include Julie Andrews, Martins Imhangbe, Shelley Conn, and Charithra Chandran. New additions include Sam Phillips, James Phoon, and Daniel Francis.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story and Bridgerton Season 3 are confirmed to be arriving on Netflix in 2023, with the Queen Charlotte limited series expected to arrive before Season 3.