‘Queen Charlotte’ Stars India Amarteifio & Corey Mylchreest on Royal Rollercoaster in ‘Bridgerton’ Spinoff
Spoiler Alert
[Spoiler Alert: The below contains spoilers from Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Season 1.]
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story brings viewers back in time, taking a step back from the Regency Era to the point in time when Charlotte (India Amarteifio) first meets (and marries!) her love, King George (Corey Mylchreest).
While fans have had a glimpse of their relationship in the original Bridgerton series, this new look into their lives offers some clarity on how they made the Ton into what viewers have come to recognize, bringing all members of the community together. But their unity and strength aren’t so easily achieved as both Charlotte and George deal with their own struggles.
When Charlotte arrives in England, she’s more than eager to find an escape, until she meets George and reconsiders, but that doesn’t mean their marriage isn’t without its challenges. Although Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) may be reassured and blunt in her delivery of words in the Regency Era, she’s just learning the ropes in this time period and having a difficult time coping with the reality of her circumstances.
(Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix)
Amarteifio, who shines as the young Charlotte, acknowledges that she’s playing a character with “vulnerability, naivety, and someone who isn’t so confident and sure of themselves.” It takes time to create the person fans have come to know, and according to the actress, “I think it’s quite easy to be an actor and play someone who’s brazen and doesn’t really care because it’s an act, but when you have to dig deep to find those more intimate feelings it’s more difficult.”
The series tracks Charlotte and George’s romance, from their first meeting through the ups and downs accompanying a royal union. “To access those emotions can be quite difficult,” she admits, adding, “It’s about bouncing back after you’ve had those long scenes and coming out of it reminding yourself that you are yourself and you’re not your character.”
(Credit: Nick Wall/Netflix)
In equal measure, King George faces challenges of his own, many of which revolve around his health. At times, his ordeals are nightmarish, but Mylchreest notes that “the team made it as easy as possible. Tom Verica, the director, was a genius. Our process together was like, I’ll come in trying to be a hundred percent from the get-go, commit to it, and then Tom will shape me.”
“It’s a completely collaborative process, really,” Mylchreest adds. “Once you’re there, [you] just commit and allow India’s work to also shape what I’m doing in response to everything that’s happening in front.”
And while they may have hurdles to surpass as the series plays out, ultimately, they form a union that transcends decades, as seen in Bridgerton, but now we’re getting the full love story. What Amarteifio hopes viewers learn from Charlotte and George’s romance is “to love someone unconditionally and accept their flaws and to remember that none of us are perfect. We’ve all got our own issues and something that might affect someone else might not affect you, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not feeling how they’re feeling. So validating those feelings and making them feel seen, no matter how big or small their problem is.”
“Couldn’t have put it better myself,” Mylchreest echoes.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, Streaming now, Netflix
