Netflix’s Queen Charlotte is one of Bridgerton’s greatest stories yet, but in classic Bridgerton form, not every aspect of its ending is perfectly clear. As a spinoff of Netflix’s Bridgerton, based on Julia Quinn’s romance books, Queen Charlotte tells the origin story of the titular character and how she came to be the strong character she is in Bridgerton. Told through two split timelines, Queen Charlotte shows both the Queen’s romantic love story with King George III and her present struggle to secure an heir to the throne.
Though both Queen Charlotte and King George struggle to gain any autonomy from Parliament or the wishes of Princess Augusta, the ending of the Bridgerton spinoff sees them gain control of their destinies. Lady Danbury also struggles for control as she tries to solve the issue of her title’s succession, getting embroiled in love plots in the process. In the present, Lady Danbury and Violet Bridgerton learn some important truths about each other. Though the road to happiness might be a bumpy one in Queen Charlotte, the Bridgerton spinoff’s ending shows that all is possible through perseverance, resilience, and, most importantly, embracing love.
What Happens To Brimsley & Reynolds?
One of the biggest mysteries left behind in Queen Charlotte is what happens to Brimsley and Reynolds (who are revealed to be in a relationship) in the future. Both men are shown to be fiercely loyal to King George and Queen Charlotte, with Reynolds consistently upholding his duty to King George over his relationship with Brimsley. However, while Brimsley is shown to still be serving Queen Charlotte in the present timeline, Reynolds appears to be missing from the palace’s staff, both in Queen Charlotte and Bridgerton. This begs the question of what came of Brimsley and Reynolds’ relationship in the Bridgerton spinoff.
Sadly, it seems unlikely that Brimsley and Reynolds could have a happy ending in Queen Charlotte if Reynolds’ absence in the future is an indicator. Based on Brimsley’s answer to Queen Charlotte when she asks if he has family or loved ones, it appears that the two royal staff members are no longer together. This is further confirmed when Brimsley is shown dancing alone to a classical rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” near the end of Queen Charlotte’s final episode. Sadly, it is likely that Brimsley and Reynolds’ relationship ended because Reynolds either resigned his post or passed away between the past and present timelines of Queen Charlotte.
Princess Augusta’s Story Explained (& Why She Tells Lady Danbury)
Throughout the course of the Bridgerton spinoff Queen Charlotte, King George’s mother Princess Augusta and Lady Danbury meet for tea, which is a guise for the two to try to further their own goals with each other. When Lady Danbury breaks down in tears over her conflict of interests between securing her title and honoring her friendship with Queen Charlotte, Princess Augusta reveals her history to Lady Danbury. Though King George’s mother claims she does this to preserve the state of her and Lady Danbury’s adversarial relationship, Princess Augusta has other reasons for telling her story.
In Queen Charlotte, it stands to reason that King George’s father was the King, but Princess Augusta reveals that her husband passed away prior to ascending the throne. Therefore, she had to find other ways to secure her son as King, including seeking mercy from her husband’s father, who was cruel to her and George. However, she realized she didn’t need to settle for “the uselessness of female pursuits” and was able to otherwise achieve her goals and, more importantly, control. Princess Augusta reveals this in a rare act of kindness, showing Lady Danbury that she can have the same level of control with her own life’s troubles.
Queen Charlotte’s Dragonfly Accessories Explained
At the beginning of Queen Charlotte, the titular queen is seen wearing a dragonfly hair accessory, which is not featured again until the Netflix series’ final episode. Though Queen Charlotte’s taste in accessories could be a random detail, the symbolism of dragonflies reveals that her dragonfly accessories are a purposeful motif in Queen Charlotte. Dragonflies are a symbol of transformation, self-realization, and adaptability, all of which apply to Queen Charlotte’s character in the Bridgerton spinoff.
Considering what dragonflies symbolize, it makes sense that Queen Charlotte once again dons dragonfly hair accessories in the last episode of the series. By the end of Queen Charlotte, the titular character has realized her power as a queen and found ways to adapt to the challenges of Queen Charlotte and King George’s life together. Queen Charlotte’s dragonfly accessories show that she has come into her own as the queen of England, setting the stage for who she becomes later in Bridgerton.
Why Princess Augusta Lets Go Of Her Control On King George
Princess Augusta spends much of Queen Charlotte in the role of a puppet master, attempting to uphold the Crown, assuage the concerns of Parliament, and fix her son’s issues. However, the King’s mother goes through a shift by the end of the Netflix show. When talking to King George after the birth of his son, Princess Augusta asks if he thinks the baby has any of King George’s illness struggles. King George replies that his son is perfect. Princess Augusta realizes her son, too, has always been perfect as is and doesn’t need her oversight, leading to her letting the King and Queen of England control their fates.
Why Lady Danbury Says No To Adolphus’ Proposal
Towards the end of Queen Charlotte, it is revealed that Lady Danbury was once romantically involved with Queen Charlotte’s brother, Adolphus. Before departing England, Adolphus proposes marriage to Lady Danbury, which would have fixed all her problems. However, Lady Danbury chooses to kindly reject Aldolphus’ proposal. While Lady Danbury and Adolphus did have a true connection, Lady Danbury chooses to heed Princess Augusta’s advice and take control of her own fate. After the death of Lord Danbury, Lady Danbury realizes the value of her freedom, which she knows she could never have while married to a royal like Adolphus, leading to her saying no to his proposal.
Why Violet Displays Her Birthday Hats To Lady Danbury
An interesting development in Queen Charlotte is the blossoming of a close friendship between Lady Danbury and Violet Bridgerton. Over the course of the Bridgerton spinoff, it is revealed that Lady Danbury had a brief affair with Violet’s father. This becomes apparent to the Bridgerton matriarch when she discovers one of her father’s signature birthday hats in the possession of Lady Danbury. In the final episode of Queen Charlotte, Violet and Lady Danbury meet for tea, and Violet has displayed all of her birthday hats for Lady Danbury to see. Though this might seem random, Violet and Lady Danbury use the hats to facilitate an important discussion.
Violet explains to Lady Danbury that the birthday hats hold good memories, and she wants to appreciate them before letting them go. This is Violet’s way of saying that she wants to hold onto her memories of Lord Ledger as her father and doesn’t want his affair with Lady Danbury to change them. Lady Danbury tells Violet not to put the birthday hats away because of their cheerful quality, which is really her saying that Violet’s feelings are justified and her memory of her father doesn’t have to change. Their conversation results in the realization that their experiences with Lord Ledger were separate yet cheerful, exemplified by his birthday hats.
The Real Meaning Of Queen Charlotte’s Ending
Netflix’s Queen Charlotte is easily the most complex story of the Bridgerton franchise thus far, as a tale about two opposing concepts, control and acceptance. Most vitally, Queen Charlotte is a series about the importance of upholding one’s autonomy and controlling one’s fate. This is most clearly seen through Queen Charlotte’s female characters. Both Queen Charlotte and Lady Danbury learn the importance of controlling their own fates through any means necessary, which makes them the strong women they are in Bridgerton. Queen Charlotte also helps her husband see his power, and by taking control as King, Queen Charlotte and King George are able to create the life they want together.
Queen Charlotte’s ending deals heavily with acceptance. Both Queen Charlotte and King George struggle with others trying to mold them into the perfect royal ideal. However, once Queen Charlotte accepts her own nature, she is able to help King George be the best ruler possible. More importantly, Queen Charlotte helps King George accept himself. Princess Augusta’s story is also about acceptance, as she realizes that she needs to accept her son rather than attempt to fix him, thus allowing for the King and Queen’s happiness. Though it is not confirmed whether Queen Charlotte will have a season 2, the series’ complex themes cement it as one Bridgerton’s best stories.