The brand new Netflix show “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” is inspired by actor Golda Rosheuvel’s role as “Bridgerton’s” feisty Queen Charlotte. Now, a younger India Amarteifio stars as the younger face of the monarch in the new spin-off series prequel.

Miranda Almond styles the two actors in ‘Power Play’, lensed by Luc Braquet [IG] for Harper’s Bazaar UK’s [IG] June 2023 issue./ Hair by Dionne Smith & Nicola Harrowell; makeup by Kenneth Soh & Claire de Graft

Obviously, the Queen Charlotte of Shondaland fame is not a real person. But her lineage — which suggests Black heritage — continues to be debated, even by historians. Charlotte’s story is important because it raises questions about representation, empire, and wealth.

Even Shonda Rhimes and actor Golda Rosheuvel stress that the purpose of putting Queen Charlotte front and center in the new Netflix spinoff is to inspire, even jumpstart new research around her ancestry.

"Our Queen Charlotte is based on and inspired by a real person, but is a fictional construct. We have made a beautiful, fantastical show with the hope that it makes people stop and wonder, 'Actually, who was this remarkable woman?' and go to find out more," she says. "Because she deserves it. She was part of the abolitionist movement; she knew Mozart; was a great patron of the arts."

Advancing the Queen Charlotte Black Queen Argument

Some historians believe that Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz had African ancestry. One such historian, Mario de Valdes y Cocom, argued in a 2009 issue of PBS “Frontline” that her features were conspicuously African.

Valdes suggests that Scottish portraitist Allan Ramsay may have emphasized these characteristics for political reasons since he was an anti-slavery activist. He notes that many portraits and caricatures of the Queen show her with darker skin and hair. Queen Charlotte’s physician Baron Stockmar described her as having a true mulatto face.

The House of Windsor has never denied Queen Charlotte’s claimed African ancestry. David Buck, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson, was quoted by the Boston Globe as saying “This has been rumored for years and years. It is a matter of history, and frankly, we’ve got far more important things to talk about.”

At the time Meghan Markle married Prince Harry in 2018, the Washington Post covered the topic that Markle would not be the first biracial or African heritage member of Britain’s royal family. They certainly gave credence to Queen Charlotte’s heritage.

It seems important to understand that if all of these claims abbout Charlotte are true, many scholars argue that the nine generation distance between Queen Charlotte and her alleged African ancestor is far too great for her to be considered a Black queen.

In fact, some scholars argue that the assertion is racist and inspired by America’s “one drop of blood” rule. Furthermore, the nine-decades argument probably makes half of European royalty as Black.

Queen Charlotte the Firebrand

Queen Charlotte birthed 15 children, with 13 living to adulthood, married to an increasingly unstable and violent, mentally-ill royal husband remained diligent and dignified before and after taking on more royal duties with King George III incapacitation in 1788, when his mental illness became full-blown.

AOC doesn’t mean to suggest that theirs was a loveless marriage. It may have been quite the opposite, but King George’s illness became increasingly acute and maintaining even an ordinary royal life was very challenging.

Queen Charlotte, the Blue Stockings Society supporter, argued:

"I am of the opinion that if women had the same advantages as men in their education they might do as well.”

There is no disagreement that during Queen Charlotte’s time, slavery was prevalent and she was a vocal anti-slavery campaigner. She worked to abolish slave trade, fought against sugar plantations that relied on the free labor of Africans, and was instrumental in the development of the smallpox vaccine.

Frogmore House and Cottage

The Queen’s interest in botany began in the 1770s when she lived at Kew Palace and co-founded Kew Gardens, houses the "largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world". Queen Charlotte bought Frogmore House in 1792, where she and her unmarried daughters used Frogmore House as a country retreat not far from Kew Palace. The ladies indulged in their hobbies such as painting, drawing, needlework, reading and botany. Charlotte then commissioned the building of Frogmore Cottage on the grounds near Frogmore House.

And we all know who moved to Frogmore Cottage.

America’s Abigail Adams in Queen Charlotte’s Great Britain

Her words remind us of America’s second President John Adams’ wife Abigail, who was both an early advocate of women’s rights and an abolitionist bitterly opposed to slavery.

In fact, in 1784 Abigail Adams sailed to Europe to join her husband and son where John Adams was serving as U.S. minister to Great Britain. Abigail Adams was presented to Queen Charlotte in June 1785.

A condition of Charlotte’s marriage to George III was to abstain from any involvement in politics. Her letters revealed a significant interest in the American colonies, but she abided by the restriction.

Queen Charlotte’s reign lasted from May 19, 1744 - November 17, 1818. Ironically, Abigal Adams also passed on three weeks earlier on October 28, 1818.