Dearest reader, Netflix has just released Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, the Bridgerton spin-off series and prequel. The series follows Queen Charlotte’s rise to power as well as her love story with King George III.
In the Bridgerton series, we get glimpses of her marriage with King George, but we don’t know much about it. We only know that King George suffers from some form of illness.
The spin-off series finally gives us answers as it revolves around two plotlines: one in present-day Bridgerton, and the other when the Queen was just a young woman proving herself as a worthy queen.
So, what happened at the end of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story? How does it connect to Bridgerton Season 3?
This article (or gossip column, as you may call it) provides a recap and explains the ending of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Read at your own risk!
Table of Contents
- King George’s Illness Explained
- Queen Charlotte and King George III Fight for Their Love
- Lady Danbury Chooses Not to Remarry
- Queen Charlotte Ending Explained: What Happened to Reynolds and Brimsley?
- Queen Charlotte Ending Explained: Do Queen Charlotte and King George III Still Love Each Other?
- How Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Connects to Bridgerton Season 3
King George’s Illness Explained
In the first two seasons of Bridgerton, we know that King George suffers from an illness. There’s even a scene in season two where he believed that he was getting married, but it was actually Edwina Sharma who was about to wed.
In Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, we see more of King George’s sufferings: he stays sane by trying to be “Farmer George”, but when his illness kicks in, he starts talking to the stars. In one episode, he strips himself naked and deems Charlotte as “Venus”.
But Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story doesn’t give us the exact diagnosis of King George’s illness. We only know that he’s a “madman”.
However, some doctors suggest that he suffers from an "inflamed cerebellum" and "excess of ill humor in the legs". Dr. Monro, the physician who consistently treats him, suggests that he suffers from a “disorganization of the nerves.”
Dr. Monro then subjects the King to extreme forms of treatment such as drowning him in an ice bath and strapping him to a chair. Charlotte puts an end to this kind of treatment by dismissing Dr. Monro.
While Lady Whistledown already informs us at the start of the series that the show is “not a history lesson”, but is “fiction inspired by fact”, in real life, there are still many theories debated about what his illness really was.
And in real life, King George ruled for six decades, but due to his illness, it was Charlotte who took on most of the responsibilities and duties in ruling the kingdom. Just like what we see in the Bridgerton series.
Queen Charlotte and King George III Fight for Their Love
Queen Charlotte and King George fall in love when they first meet in the garden when Charlotte was trying to escape. But after their wedding, George pushes her away because he was trying to keep his illness a secret from her.
Thus, Charlotte spends her wedding night alone and the marriage isn’t consummated. Later on, after due consideration, George decides to take a risk and let Charlotte in his life.
George asks Charlotte for a second chance and they finally consummate their marriage. However, in the morning, Charlotte overhears a conversation between George and his mother which frustrates her.
As the two are in conflict again, they agree to have “even days” where they have sex so that Charlotte can get pregnant. Later on, Charlotte sees that George has a passion for agriculture, and she realizes how heavy it must be being King.
She then reconciles with George. However, after the ball hosted by Lady Danbury, Charlotte wakes up in the middle of the night and finds George stripping naked outside and praising “Venus”. Charlotte convinces him she’s Venus and brings him back inside.
Because of George’s illness, Charlotte starts doubting everything. She then plans to leave, but later on decides to fight for her love with George.
She tells George that she will be by his side, but George pushes her away by telling her that he never wants to see her again. But Charlotte fights back and tells him that perhaps he stays away from her because he cares for her and loves her.
Charlotte then tells George that she loves him so much that she will do as he wishes. If George doesn’t love her, all he has to do is say so and she will leave.
She then says that she’s willing to live separate lives with him and have the baby alone, but George has to tell her that he does not love her and that she’s alone in this world.
George says that he’s a madman and a danger and that in his mind there are different worlds, with the Heavens and the Earth colliding.
Charlotte says that she would stand with him between the Heavens and the Earth and asks again if he loves her. George says he loves Charlotte. He goes on to say that he loved her desperately from the moment he saw her trying to go over the wall.
He then admits that he wanted to tell Charlotte about his illness, but it has been his secret his entire life and his burden. Charlotte then says that they can do it together.
But George has his bad days and wasn’t able to address Parliament due to his illness. He hides under his bed, and Charlotte goes under with him. George says there is no cure.
He suggests that Charlotte should leave him, but she insists that she would stay. George says that she has half a husband and that he cannot give her the future she deserves.
But Charlotte responds “If what we have is half, then we shall make it the very best half”. She then says that together they are whole.
Lady Danbury Chooses Not to Remarry
When Agatha Danbury becomes a widow, she briefly has a love affair with Violet Bridgerton’s father, Lord Ledger. But since their love cannot be, she lets go of him.
Adolphus, Queen Charlotte’s brother, then briefly courts her and proposes to her. Agatha was hesitant to accept his proposal because she was still hurt after her affair with Lord Ledger.
Ultimately, she refuses to marry him because she “cannot marry anyone” and she never wants to be married again. She then shares that she spent her entire life breathing someone’s air and that she has to breathe all on her own now.
Queen Charlotte Ending Explained: What Happened to Reynolds and Brimsley?
Queen Charlotte and King George aren’t the only couples in the series. Their secretaries – Brimsley and Reynolds also fall in love with each other.
In the series, they share a bath where Brimsley says that they could share a lifetime together just like Charlotte and George. At the ball of the final episode, they lovingly dance together away from the crowd.
But in present-day Bridgerton, Brimsley dances alone in the dark. We also don’t see an older version of Reynolds.
Additionally, Queen Charlotte asks him if he never married. Brimsley says that he never got married and “who could I ever find who would be free to spend a lifetime with me? I am here.”
What happened to Reynolds remains a mystery, but since we see Brimsley all alone in present-day Bridgerton, it’s clear that Brimsley and Reynolds don’t end up together.
Queen Charlotte Ending Explained: Do Queen Charlotte and King George III Still Love Each Other?
At the start of the series, Queen Charlotte asks if the King is already dead, like she was just waiting for him to die. But at the end of the series, when she finds out that one of her children is expecting an heir, she visits George at Kew.
Even though they ended up living apart (clearly to accommodate George’s illness), their love for each other didn’t fade away. They go under the bed to “hide from the heavens”, just like they did decades ago.
She shares that they have succeeded and that his line will live on. George corrects her, telling her that it’s “our” line.
We then see versions of both young and older Charlotte and George. They thank each other and share a kiss.
George then says “You did not go over the wall”, and Charlotte responds “No, George. I did not go over the wall”.
How Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Connects to Bridgerton Season 3
Since the prequel involves both the past and present-day Bridgerton, we can expect some storylines from Queen Charlotte to continue in Bridgerton Season 3. One burning question is if Violet Bridgerton will find love again after she expresses her desire in finding a new husband and letting her “garden bloom” again.
Another is the friendship between Lady Danbury and Violet. In the finale, Violet figures out that Lady Danbury had an affair with her father. But instead of confronting Agatha about it, she decides to carry on with tea.
There is no official release date for Bridgerton Season 3 yet, but we know that the season will focus on Penelope and Colin’s story. But even though we still don’t know when Bridgerton Season 3 will come out, at least Violet gives us an update about her children in the spin-off series.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is now available to stream on Netflix.
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