Young Queen Charlotte to star in 'Bridgerton' prequel series

The origins story of the eccentric royal will be told in a new spin-off of the popular show

Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte in the first season of Bridgerton. Courtesy Netflix  

Bridgerton’s unashamedly eccentric Queen Charlotte is to get her own spin-off series.

According to Deadline, in a much-welcome expansion of the Bridgerton universe, show creator Shonda Rhimes is writing a prequel series that will focus on the origins story of the haughty royal, who became a firm fan favourite after the first season of the show was broadcast, even though the character does not appear in the original Julia Quinn novels upon which the series is based.

This is in addition to the three new seasons of Bridgerton that are already in the works. The Regency-era drama is Netflix’s biggest ever series, reaching 82 million households around the world in its first four weeks of being aired.

The new limited series will focus on the rise and love of a young Queen Charlotte. The spinoff will also reportedly tell the stories of young Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury.

In reality, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the queen consort of Britain's King George III from their marriage in 1761 until her death. She was said to be Britain's first black queen, although there is still some dispute as to whether she did truly have African ancestry, as is proposed by some historians.

"Many viewers had never known the story of Queen Charlotte before Bridgerton brought her to the world, and I'm thrilled this new series will further expand her story and the world of Bridgerton," Bela Bajaria, head of global TV at Netflix, told Deadline.

“Shonda and her team are thoughtfully building out the Bridgerton universe so they can keep delivering for the fans with the same quality and style they love. And by planning and prepping all the upcoming seasons now, we also hope to keep up a pace that will keep even the most insatiable viewers totally fulfilled.”