Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, the prequel in the Bridgerton series that tells the story of the Queen of England and King George III, has been dropped on Netflix, and the audience of the Ton cannot stop raving about it! Unlike the first two seasons of the show, Queen Charlotte was not a swoon-worthy story that would make your heart skip a beat every time the leads came together but rather it was a hard-hitting reality of the effort that goes into making a successful marriage. It highlighted the sacrifices you make for your partner in a heartbeat because you never want to hurt them.
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But more than this message what caught my attention was the subplot that the makers ran parallel to the Queen’s story. I absolutely loved the portrayal of female friendships in Queen Charlotte! The bond that the makers showed between Violet Bridgerton, Lady Danbury, and the Queen is the perfect embodiment of what female friendships should be like.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story shows friendships between the ladies when are young, and also when they grow old. The young Lady Danbury becomes a close confidant of the young Queen Charlotte who helps her understand how to “consummate a marriage”. She also helps her realise that being a Queen of a country whose people have looked down upon their race is an opportunity to make things better for people of colour. They end centuries-long racial bias and demand to be treated as equals. Furthermore, their struggle carves the path for Kate Sharma to go on to become the Viscountess of Anthony Bridgerton without people raising questions about their union!
Agatha Danbury has been a sharp woman who realised early on that this world is a tough place for women and therefore, she steeled her spine to endure whatever came her way. And that is exactly what she passes on to Queen Charlotte. When it came to her bond with Violet Bridgerton, it becomes more personal. She becomes the former’s most trusted friend and helps Violet understand that it is normal if her body has started demanding sex again. She makes Violet feel better about the changes that are happening in her body.
I would have never taken Lady Agatha Danbury to be the kind of woman who would open up about her sex life but she does to tell Violet Bridgerton that even her “garden” demanded to be touched once and she listened to it instead of feeling ashamed about it. What I absolutely loved the most about the portrayal of the female friendship in the show is how none of them ever judged one another ever. They also gave each other sane advice and truly wished well for each other. It is very rare that one finds a friend like that!
That scene when Queen Charlotte tells Lady Danbury that she will look into the matter of her inheritance and title, is the scene that conveyed a very powerful message. That women stick by each other. They lend a helping hand and also go the extra mile sometimes to get a friend out of trouble!
Also read: ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Review: Not A Swooning Romance But A Heartbreaking Story About Love And Marriage
There are scenes where the women communicate in what would look like a code language but they end up perfectly understanding what the other one meant! That is the kind of bond and trust women need to have among themselves. Instead of tearing each other down, women should uplift one another and be of help wherever necessary. It was the portrayal of female friendships that had my heart more than Queen Charlotte and King George III’s love story!