Table Of Content
- False: George experienced his first bout of mental illness prior to marrying Charlotte.
- Shonda Rhimes Reportedly “Committed” To Adapting All Eight ‘Bridgerton’ Novels For Netflix Series
- Did Queen Charlotte love King George in real life?
- What is Wrong With King George in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story?
- Did King George III have a mental illness?

Her cousin was a British aristocrat, but Dido herself was not out in society. Other known Londoners of the time included writers and abolitionists Olaudah Equiano and Ottobah Cuguano, as well as composer Ignatius Sancho. To read more about the presence of Black people in Europe, check out Black and British by David Olusoga, Black Tudors by Miranda Kaufmann, and African Europeans by Olivette Otele. "Part of the reason why she's so angry is because she wants true love," Amarteifio tells T&C of her version of Charlotte. "She doesn't want her love to be a trade or anything to do with politics or power or money. She wants real love, the understanding of two people just bonding and finding each other." Mylchreest tells T&C he views as a version of the tragic Romeo and Juliet.
False: George experienced his first bout of mental illness prior to marrying Charlotte.
The younger—and still single—George succeeded his grandfather in 1760 at age 22, making his search for a wife urgent. He eyed Charlotte, then 17, over other candidates for a couple of key reasons. George suffered his first major bout of mental illness in 1788. The king suffered both physical pain and mental distress, including periods of “incessant loquacity” in which he talked until he foamed at the mouth. Unable to sleep, he spoke out of turn, accusing his wife of adultery and making inappropriate advances toward her attendants.

Shonda Rhimes Reportedly “Committed” To Adapting All Eight ‘Bridgerton’ Novels For Netflix Series
King Charles delighted royal watchers when he resumed public-facing duties alongside his wife Queen Camilla on Tuesday. As Insider's Claudia Willen and Ayomikun Adekaiyero previously reported, there have been multiple theories surrounding George's mental condition since he died in 1820. One theory that arose in recent years was that he suffered from porphyria, a genetic blood disorder that can cause confusion, hallucinations, and paranoia. Contrary to the show, George was actively part of the search for his wife. According to historian Catherine Curzon's piece for History Extra, George picked Charlotte specifically because she was a good royal and was, more importantly, protestant.
Did Queen Charlotte love King George in real life?
Brace yourself for a bleaker 'Bridgerton' in the new 'Queen Charlotte' spin-off - NPR
Brace yourself for a bleaker 'Bridgerton' in the new 'Queen Charlotte' spin-off.
Posted: Mon, 08 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
He continued to suffer from periodic bouts of mental illness, and in 1811, his son officially took control of the kingdom, serving as regent for the next nine years. During this Regency period, Charlotte presided over court in place of her son’s estranged wife, Caroline of Brunswick. She cared for the king faithfully but took care to never be alone with him.
True: Charlotte and George got married within six hours after meeting for the first time.
They would frequent theatres, watch plays and concerts, and even spend time together playing musical instruments such as the harpsichord and flute. One of the first things that George tells Charlotte about himself in the "Bridgerton" spinoff is that he admires the arts. Later in the show, the couple takes part in several dances, and Charlotte is portrayed to appreciate music when she has a young Mozart play for her and her ladies-in-waiting in episode three. You can stream Queen Charlotte in its entirety on Netflix, and be sure to look out for Season 3 of Bridgerton, to see Colin and Penelope’s love story, and to see how Charlotte and George’s story continues all these years later.
Throughout his reign, there are documented historical accounts of at least five episodes. Historian James P. Ambuske told Smithsonian in 2016 that the King was also "capable of a great deal of empathy" despite his harmful behavior. "He was very concerned, as any parent would be, about the well-being of his children and their education. He was well aware that he was raising potential future sovereigns, but he also wanted them to be good people." What overtakes her is wanting to grab that person and hold that person and take them out of that situation.
Queen Charlotte and King George III were truly in love.
She recognizes Lady Danbury as another woman who doesn't fit into this crazy society. She's almost desperate to find someone who will be that person for her. But toward the end, she realizes that actually, she has a lot more power than Danbury and she wants to use that and take that and reaffirms herself as, "We're friends, but you need to remember who I am in this society." While Queen Charlotte is a fictional television drama, its main characters are indeed based on two real-life historical monarchs—King George III, who ruled the United Kingdom from 1760 until 1820, and his wife Queen Charlotte.
She did embed herself in London’s social scene.
The series also explores King George III’s struggle with a mental illness disorder. The real King George III suffered from a mental illness and was dubbed the “Mad King” throughout history. HollywoodLife asked Corey what was important for the show to get right in this portrayal of the monarch. Elsewhere, Lady Danbury and Lord Ledger AKA Violet Bridgerton’s father end their relationship that started after the death of Lord Danbury. Whilst she courts Queen Charlotte’s brother, Adolphus, she ultimately rejects his marriage proposal and opts to stay single.
Did King George III have a mental illness?
And then George being her best friend, the person that understands her the most. Eight-year-old Mozart gave his first performance in England at Buckingham House in 1764 when Charlotte was 20. During George’s later years, the queen felt threatened by his more aggressive state and increasingly kept her distance. She also likely harbored frustration with her husband’s doctors, who used ineffective techniques like leeching, cold baths, and powders laced with arsenic, as well as torturous items like chains and straitjackets to treat him. According to Historic Royal Places, Charlotte was trained by the son of Johann Sebastian Bach and became proficient with the harpsichord.
Throughout the series, we learn more about the health of King George as his sporadic fits can’t be contained any longer as Queen Charlotte finds out. His work with the doctor and his questionable methods don’t make a difference and Charlotte deals with loneliness at a result. At the same time, Lady Danbury is now dealing with the death of her husband, Lord Danbury, and what will now happen to her, her family and other members of the ton as he leaves them almost penniless. In the Bridgerton spin-off series, we meet a young Queen Charlotte who is betrothed to King George under mysterious circumstances.
Historians today believe that George likely suffered from bipolar disorder and chronic mania—possibly made worse by his doctor’s prescribed treatment of arsenic. It remains to be seen if A Bridgerton Story will focus much, if at all, on the sharp decline in the royal couple’s physical health and relationship. In any case, these troubling final decades weren’t indicative of the amicable partnership the pair led for years. Golda Rosheuvel, who played an older Queen Charlotte in “Bridgerton,” reprises her role in a parallel storyline set in the 1810s.
As Historic Royal Palaces writes, "They shared a happy life together, producing 15 children until their lives were changed and saddened by the King’s devastating mental illness. Nonetheless Charlotte remained steadfast and loyal to her husband." Amarteifio said it was important for her and creator Shonda Rhimes to shine a light on several different experiences. "There were so many reasons to create it. In Bridgerton, Golda created this iconic character, this mixed-race woman who people saw as a queen, and that’s not something we really see," she added. 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. The couple did meet for the first time on their wedding day, as in the series.