Review: Long Live Queen Charlotte

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Who would have thought? It is by abandoning its title characters that the Bridgerton saga offers us its best chapter: Queen Charlotte.

Already a literary phenomenon thanks to books by Julia Quinn, The Bridgerton Chronicleexperienced a new boom with the Netflix series, which began with a first season launched in 2020. Its premise? The amorous tribulations of 19th century London high society, narrated by the mysterious Lady Whistledown, author of a scandalous column. 

We admit it, the first batch of episodes appeared to us of an unnamed sentimentality. The second, however, succeeded in a task that we thought was impossible: to rekindle our interest with its charm and its intrigue, this time more sensitive, therefore less eye-catching. 

Back in time

For its third season, dropped on Netflix on Thursday, the Bridgerton sagaoffers a step back, just to explore the past of Queen Charlotte. A secondary character in previous episodes, the British sovereign nevertheless made a strong impression in each of her appearances thanks to her divine eccentricity and her wit.

We therefore trace his ascension to the British throne, a few decades earlier. And we discover, above all, the underside of her relationship – often difficult – with the king who chose her as his wife. Because no, this marriage will have often been more stormy than happy, we learn over the course of the plot, split into six episodes. 

Result: a season as gripping as it is touching, which we devours easily and greedily in the space of an afternoon. 

The charisma of India Amarteifio

If the whole thing works too well, it is of course thanks to the obvious talent and charisma of the young India Amarteifio, a real revelation. She brilliantly embodies the title character, infusing her with all the grit and recklessness necessary to be in tune with her original interpreter, the fabulous Golda Rosheuvel. 

We must also underline the work of Shonda Rhimes; now more than just a producer, the American – to whom we owe, among other things, the series Scandal – firmly holds the pen for these new intrigues, thus fleshing out three-dimensional, complex and deeply human characters . 

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Chapter is available on Netflix.