She had a reportedly sheltered upbringing with a subpar education and a distance from royal life, despite being born in proximity to royalty (her father and brother were German dukes and her mother a princess). The couple was married in 1761, just six hours after their first meeting. In real life, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was short-listed as a possible wife for the new king based solely on her pleasant and “sweet-tempered” personality-a far cry from the depiction we see in the Bridgerton spin-off. She is caught by the charming King George, whom she is immediately smitten with as he sweet-talks her and convinces her to stay. She opposes the arranged marriage so much that Charlotte even attempts to run away right before the wedding. Charlotte’s brother is handling her courtship due to the passing of her parents, and the future queen is putting her foot down about someone else deciding her future. In the Netflix spin-off, our introduction to a young Queen Charlotte is in a stagecoach on the way to meet the man that would become her future husband, and Charlotte is unhappy with the whole ordeal. Queen Charlotte was much less headstrong in real life. If you’re curious just how much of the new series is pulled from real life, read on.

Play icon The triangle icon that indicates to playīut unlike the original series which is largely an act of fiction, Queen Charlotte has some footing in reality-she and husband King George III were real royal figures in British history during the 18th century.

Shonda rhimes memoir