King George III and Queen Charlotte actually had a seemingly happy 57-year marriage, which inspired Shonda Rhimes to produce an interpretation of that romance — with some creative liberties — in her own series for Netflix.
the prelude of bridgerton, Queen Charlottehe does not hide from the public that this is an interpretation, clarifying in the first moments of the series that “this is not a history lesson, but a fiction inspired by the facts”.
What is real and fictional in the Netflix series?
The public is also warned that “all adaptations by the author are intentional,” but some facts have actually been taken from the history books. At the age of 8 Mozart performed for the Queen, for example. And Charlotte, in fact, popularized the Christmas tree in England during the 19th century.
Another true point is that King George III was fascinated by astronomy, he was the first king to study science as part of his education and had his own observatory. The king’s agricultural interests were also legitimate, as evidenced by the many notes he made in agricultural books.
Of course, as expected, some aspects have been heavily adapted.
Was Queen Charlotte Black?
so much inside Queen Charlotte As in the original series, after the interracial marriage of King George III and Queen Charlotte, Britain decided to integrate black people into its society, including its noble class – a fictional event, dubbed the “Great Experiment”. However, blacks and people of other color or race were not accepted in any level of British society in the 18th and 19th centuries, and still are not.
There is real debate about Queen Charlotte’s race, which may have started with the numerous complaints that she did not meet the standards of beauty at the time, often being described as ugly. Even so, a small group of historians believe in the possibility that Charlotte was a descendant of Margarita de Castro y Sousa, the black branch of the Portuguese royal family.
Born into the royal family of the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in northern Germany, Princess Sophia Charlotte came to England in 1761, aged 17, to marry George III, whom she had never met. She got married within hours of arriving in England and at the time she spoke almost no English.
What was King George III’s disease?
To this day, there are arguments about what made King George III “mad” and the actual answer may be lost to history forever. One leading theory is that he may have suffered from a blood disorder called porphyria, which can affect the nervous system.
Recent studies conducted by the University of London, however, suggest that George may, in fact, have had recurring manic episodes, which have been linked to the possibility of bipolar disorder.
Just like in the series, George was treated very harshly by his doctors and assistants. At that time, doctors lacked the knowledge to treat patients with symptoms of mental disorders, so the methods were often extreme, painful, and even inhumane.
King George III’s condition was so bad that a regency was established in 1811, in which the couple’s eldest son, George, Prince of Wales, reigned as Prince Regent until his father’s death in 1820.
Queen Charlotte is available on Netflix, as are the first two seasons of bridgerton.
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Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
