'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story' Will Be Queen of May

Bridgerton fans won't have long to wait for a return to the Regency Era. Netflix has confirmed Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, the Georgia Era set prequel to the hit show, is set to arrive this spring, in the first week of May 2023. Though the original series was based on the novels written by Julia Quinn, the new spinoff series was conceived of by series creator Shonda Rhimes and is set prior to any of the Bridgerton-centered novels written by Quinn, including her own prequel set, The Rokesby Series. However, Quinn will not miss out on the new story, releasing a novelization of the new series that same week.

Queen Charlotte does not appear in the Bridgerton books, which focus exclusively on the titular clan and its eight siblings. Though the initial three novels were set in the mid-Regency Period of 1813-1816, the other five are all set after George IV finally takes the throne. Rhimes was the one to come up with the idea of turning the series into a larger ensemble where the aristocracy that surrounds the leads included Charlotte, who was known for her parties during the period of her husband's decline and her son's regency.

Rhimes also leaned into the historical questions around Charlotte's heritage, choosing to believe records that said she was directly of Moorish descent. The production cast Black actress Golda Rosheuvel in the role and used the now-interracial royal family as the jumping-off point for her fantasy of a widely racially diverse upper class. With Charlotte's love story crucial to the entire world build, it only makes sense to go back and fill in the origin story.

Here's the series' official trailer.

Here's the series official logline:

Centered on Queen Charlotte's rise to prominence and power, this Bridgerton-verse prequel tells the story of how the young Queen's marriage to King George sparked both a great love story and a societal shift, creating the world of the Ton inherited by the characters in Bridgerton.

Rosheuvel reprises her role as the present-day Bridgerton series Queen Charlotte, with Adjoa Andoh and Ruth Gemmell appearing as her current BFFs, Lady Danbury and Lady Violet Bridgerton. Hugh Sachs also reprises his role as Charlotte's right-hand man, Brimsley. The Georgian era cast is led by India Amarteifio (Line of Duty) as Young Queen Charlotte, Connie Jenkins-Greig (Mr. Selfridge) as Young Lady Violet, and newcomer Arsema Thomas as Young Lady Agatha Danbury. Sam Clemmett (Cherry) plays Young Brimsley, and Corey Mylchreest (The Sandman) plays Young King George.

The rest of the cast includes Michelle Fairley (Gangs of London) as George's sister, Princess Augusta, plus Freddie Dennis (The Nevers), Richard Cunningham (The Witcher), Tunji Kasim (Nancy Drew), Rob Maloney (Casualty), Keir Charles (Flesh & Blood), Katie Brayben (Miss Scarlet and The Duke), and Cyril Nri (Cucumber) as Lady Danbury's much older husband, Lord Danbury. Shonda Rhimes penned the six-installment miniseries and was showrunner on the project, with director Tom Verica helming all episodes.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story will debut with all episodes on Thursday, May 4, 2023. Bridgerton Seasons 1 and 2 are streaming on Netflix, with Season 3 expected out later in the year.