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The Queen Charlotte cast is just as eager as Bridgerton fans to see the new limited series debut on Netflix. The series opens in 1761 when the young Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) arrives in London to marry King George (Corey Mylchreest.)

Though love is the central component of this story, there is so much more to explore.

Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte in 'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story' sitting with her dog on a couch
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte in ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ | Liam Daniel/ Netflix

‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ release date

Fans are thrilled that the Bridgerton prequel series will air on Netflix on May 4. Fans will meet a reluctant German Princess, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, who is sent to London to embark on an arranged marriage to Queen Charlotte. When she arrives, she doesn’t get a warm welcome from everyone.

While the love between Queen Charlotte and King George is central to the story, this series is about much more than that.

“It’s very much about how you survive in a world in which you have no power,” creator Shonda Rhimes told Tudum. “Where do you find the power in that? When I think about this series and what I want audiences to take away from it, I think the most important thing is I want people to feel like this is what happens with real love, love is hard, love is difficult, love has many layers, and I also want them to take away the idea that the happy ending that we always talk about for characters doesn’t have to be the obvious one.”

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‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ cast says the show is more important now than ever

Amid our polarizing political times, the cast of Queen Charlotte believes that bringing this story to life on the big screen is more important than ever. “I think especially in the world that we are in now, to celebrate Black History is really really important, and through a female protagonist, female historical character, “Golda Rosheuvel, who potrays the older Queen Charlotte, told Digital Spy. “I think is really cool and beautiful and right on and it’s an extraordinary story because as we’ve said it’s one of love which is very rare I think.”

Adjoa Andoh who portrays older Lady Danbury spoke about how important it is for people of color to see all aspects of their history, not just enslavement. She explained,

You know, on a practical level also as actors of colour to be able to be in stories that are not entirely contemporary and to be in those stories not as enslaved people, downtrodden people. Because there are more stories, and this isn’t a documentary, but it’s based on a truth and to have that truth aired, it gives us space to expand. And also to go, we’ve been here for an extremely long time, and we have a place in all the stories that are told because it enriches all our history.

Queen Charlotte and King George’s love story gets dark

As much as fans anticipate the hot and heavy moments between the young king and queen, knowing how things pan out for them by the time we get to the 19th century, fans prepare themselves for some dark turns.

From the first and second seasons of Bridgerton, it’s evident that King George has dementia of some sort. However, when fans met him in 1761, he will already hide some things from the public.

The official description for the limited series reads in part, “Her fire and independence were exactly what she needed because George had secrets — secrets with the potential to shake the very foundations of the monarchy.”

Fans know that the king will eventually be unable to sit on the throne. More than that, the pair will lose a child in the future.