What to Know Before Watching 'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story'

The mildest of spoilers ahead...

The story starts as all the Bridgertons do, brewing tension between desire and duty, sexual tension that’s completely normal but done in bustles and corset is somehow all the more naughty, yada yada yada.

What sets the series apart is this is more of a prequel, focusing on Queen Charlotte and her relationship to “The Mad King” George.

In previous seasons we’ve seen moments here and there of the king, rambling incoherently here and there, and clues were dropped that he and Charlotte were once very much in love, but he was now more of an Uncle Pete that stays in his room.

The show starts with the typical Bridgerton two-step with quite a few sharp turns and unexplained events. Thankfully, that was an intentional move as midway through the season the series of events replays from the perspective of the king. Viewers get a better idea of his condition which seems like a blend of bipolar disorder, agoraphobia, and.. mania perhaps?

Writers also made the smart decision to explain some things in the Bridgerverse that had previously gone unexplained, like how the hell this version of England became integrated and how Lady Danbury became one of the biggest movers and shakers in the ton. We also learn more about the Viscountess Violet Bridgerton who is the absolute cutest thing ever.

Overall, the series is less of the fairytale stories we’ve grown to love and distinctly more somber. At only 6 episodes its a cool lil mini binge, an an excellent addition to the Bridgerton canon, but damn, girl. Just have ya tissues ready.