You might be surprised by the question, "How is Queen Elizabeth related to Queen Charlotte?" Because, yes, thought it may look like a gorgeous period-piece fantasy concocted solely for TV, the Bridgerton universe actually does have roots in reality.
Queen Charlotte—the snuff-sniffing monarch at the center of both the original Bridgerton series and the Bridgerton prequel, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, which debuted on Netflix on Thursday, May 4—is a real-deal figure in British history. The royal, who is portrayed by India Amarteifio as a teen and Golda Rosheuvel as an adult in the Bridgerton spinoff, was Queen of Great Britain and of Ireland and the wife of King George III (played by Corey Mylchreest) from their marriage on September 8, 1761 until her death in 1818.
"Centered on Queen Charlotte's rise to prominence and power, this Bridgerton-verse prequel tells the story of how the young Queen's marriage to King George sparked both a great love story and a societal shift, creating the world of the Ton inherited by the characters in Bridgerton," reads the official series description from Netflix.
And if you were paying attention in history class, you already know that Charlotte has a direct connection to the late, great Queen Elizabeth II, as well as the newly crowned King of England, her son Charles. Here's how the family tree shakes out.
How is Queen Elizabeth related to Queen Charlotte?
Yes, Queen Elizabeth II is related to Queen Charlotte of Bridgerton fame. Both onscreen and off, the latter royal had 15 children with her husband King George III, 13 of whom made it to adulthood. One of those children was a daughter, Princess Charlotte, who herself bore a daughter named Princess Victoria. Yes, that Victoria, i.e. the woman who would become Queen Victoria, the second longest-reigning monarch in British history (63 years and 217 days). Her reign is bested only by that of her great-great-granddaughter, Elizabeth II (70 years and 214 days).
That makes King Charles III—drumroll please—Queen Charlotte's great-great-great-great-great grandson. (Try saying that five times fast.) His successor, William, Prince of Wales, is Charlotte's six-times great-grandson, and so on with his kids, George, Louis and, of course, Charlotte.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is streaming on Netflix as of Thursday, May 4.
