Dearest Gentle Reader,  

How I have missed you all! God knows they’ve been holding my favorite period piece under wraps for far too long. Even though this isn’t the Polin (Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington) season that I was screaming, crying, and praying for, Queen Charlotte did not disappoint! The extravagance and elegance of this season are rival to none as we are taken back to the Georgian era, which is the first time Bridgerton has ever been historically accurate. We dive deep into the lives of 17-year-old Queen Charlotte and 22-year-old King George III as they are wed, and the ups and downs of married life. 

Now, I am a sucker for marriage of convenience and arranged marriage tropes, so this season was right up my alley. I had expected that it would start with the usual cold shoulder, then a slight twinge of interest, and then full-blown love confessions in the pouring rain. However, what I was not expecting was that Charlotte and George would form an attraction and friendship so quickly that Charlotte would be ready to take George to bed immediately. As far as meet-cutes go, Charlotte scaling a garden wall decked out in her wedding gown to escape while George patiently observes will always take the cake. Their relationship, albeit it had its ups and downs, really illustrated the endurance of love. The way they looked at each other was so intense that I often felt like I was intruding on a real couple. Of the Bridgerton couples, it’s George and Charlotte whose story truly made me sob like a baby for at least three episodes straight. 

Let me tell you, not only did “Just George” sweep me off my feet the moment he flashed his smile, it actually buckled my knees when he started talking. The way he says “You are breathtaking,” “You are spectacular,” and “my wife is beautiful”  instead of telling Charlotte she looks pretty makes my heart ache every single time. Now, I love my Bridgerton boys and the Duke of Hastings, but God, it was so nice to finally have a leading man who wasn’t a Capital R Rake. Of course George had his unsavory moments and a major “I’m doing this for us” complex, but radiated pure love and adoration for Charlotte the moment he met her. His duties as king may have interfered often with the passions and desires of his heart, but there wasn’t a single moment in the entire series where I doubted George’s love for Charlotte.

One thing I really loved about this series was the mental illness representation and how accurate it was for the time period. Spoiler alert! George suffered various bouts of mental illness during his reign, and this is accurate for the real King George as well, who was given the name the “Mad King” because of his episodes. However, it is now suspected that King George actually suffered from acute intermittent porphyria, which is a rare autosomal disease that manifested into his symptoms of “madness.” The most heartbreaking part of watching George’s illness unfold was knowing he underwent extreme and often debilitating treatments because he wanted to be better for Charlotte. He truly thought he didn’t deserve her and that she could never love a mad man like him. *cue the hysterical sobbing* 

Another addition I really appreciated was that we got to see the Great Experiment (AKA bringing people of color into the monarchy) unfold. Previously, in my season one review of Bridgerton, I had mentioned that it was odd that there was no backstory to how such a diverse society came to be. In this season, it finally felt like Bridgerton was historical fiction rather than fantasy because we were able to see the trials and tribulations involved with integration. It felt empowering to watch this powerful society become greater as they finally welcomed people of color to the flock. One of my favorite scenes addressing this “Great Experiment” was Queen Charlotte calling for her skin color to be painted darker for her portrait. George’s mother wanted to whitewash her because Charlotte was darker than they’d expected, but I was glad to see that such colorism didn’t prevail. 

Finally, the queer representation this season was both outstanding and heartbreaking. While Benedict Bridgerton is seen to dally with both men and women in season one, there’s never been a true queer romance mentioned. But now, Brimsley, who is basically the Queen’s shadow, and Reynolds, who is the King’s counterpart, have a passionate romance: one filled with secret glances, hands touching in the dark, and dancing all by themselves into the night. This romance didn’t feel like a performative one, like the writers needed to check off a box on the diversity list. Rather, it felt like a meaningful addition to the main storyline as we watch both Charlotte and George grow fond of each other and Brimsley and Reynolds acquire the same luxury. 

Moving onto the aforementioned love confessions, Shonda Rhimes knows how to do them too well. The argumentative love confessions will always, always, be superior. While I can’t expect a 21st century man to say, “From the moment I saw you trying to go over the wall, I have loved you desperately. I cannot breathe when you are near. I love you,” I will never stop hoping. The fact that the confession is forced out of George because he cannot say that he does not love Charlotte is a detail that is forever engraved in my heart. As is Charlotte’s never dying love for George, the man she will “stand with between the heavens and the earth,” always telling him where he is. Once again, the Bridgerton series holds a special place in my heart because it’s a place my hopeless romantic self thrives. Until the next season!

Yours Truly,

Lady Whistledown