The first two seasons of Netflix’s Bridgerton show the powerful and no-nonsense Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) as she held court over her subjects and sometimes interfered in their love lives. Producer and showrunner Shonda Rhimes focused on the Queen’s past and her love story with King George in the limited series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The first trailer for the shows takes viewers through their first meeting, their romance as they get to know one another and the eventual secrets that threaten their marriage and even the royal family. (Also read: Queen Charlotte A Bridgerton Story first look: Meet young Lady Danbury from Bridgerton prequel. See pic)
Newcomer India Amarteifio plays the younger version of Charlotte and as the trailer opens, she is worried about being used as a pawn in an arranged marriage to the King (Corey Mylchreest). Once the young couple do meet, sparks fly and despite a pushy mother-in-law Princess Augusta (Michelle Fairely), Charlotte comes to terms with life at Buckingham Palace. Over time, George and Charlotte fall in love for real, even as they run into conflicts.
But the young king has hidden some things from his wife, namely to do with his mental illness that keeps them apart several times during their marriage. “Fight with me, fight for me,” Charlotte tells her closed-off husband in the trailer.
The series also shows the young queen’s confidantes. Sam Clemmett is Young Brimsley, her royal aide and a young Lady Agatha Danbury (Arsema Thomas) is a part of Charlotte’s court. Like Charlotte, Agatha also has been pushed into an arranged marriage.
Some familiar faces from Bridgerton also pop up in the prequel series as Golda returns as older Queen Charlotte, along with Adjoa Andoh as the older Lady Agatha Danbury, Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton and Hugh Sachs as the older Brimsley. Freddie Dennis, Richard Cunningham, Tunji Kasim, Rob Maloney and Cyril Nri are also part of the cast.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story premieres on Netflix on May 4. The third season of Bridgerton also wrapped earlier this month but it is unclear whether it will premiere later this year. The upcoming season will focus on the romance of the third brother Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) aka Lady Whistledown.