I, like many of Netflix viewers loved the Bridgerton series. Elegance, grace, class, afternoon tea...fashion duh sign me up. Just as a side note: I want to dress, talk, and live like this, I love this era! Yes, the show has some rather mature scenes (imply as you will), non the less, I love the show. When they announced they were coming out with a spin off, I was hands down excited. Before we get into the topic, this is not the place to comment on what color skin is correct or not regarding Queen Charlotte.
Many little girls growing up fanaticize about becoming a princess. Living in a huge castle, being married to a prince, and attending fancy balls were #goals. I'd say Disney and fairy tails really missed with our innocent little minds. Being a royal in real life is a struggle as a young girl. Realistically speaking, there are so many factors that go into a royal marriage. The blood line has to be kept pure, power and an hire must be prioritized, and of course its a financial transaction.
Recap: Skip if you've seen it already or as of yet if you like
As a recap, Charlotte is of royal blood in Germany and is to marry King George 111 in England. From the start of the show we see that she is upset and does not agree with this marriage agreement. She has to go to a strange new country, marry some guy she has never seen, and just be a baby machine. That sounds like a nightmare! However, that's the reality of being a royal. Later in the series, Queen Charlottes' brother informs her that she was chosen to be queen because it would help her home country to have England, the then superpower of the world, be an ally to Germany.
So, after being looked up and down by the kings over bearing mother, never seeing the king, and being informed she is just to make babies, she decided to escape over a wall. This is how she meets the king and this is the moment they fall in love. Charlotte is at ease that the king is not 83 years old, evil, rude, etc, and just George. This gives her the confidence to walk down the aisle.
Now this is were it starts to get crazy:
Honeymoon night George tells her she will stay in a different castle with no real explanation. She spends days by herself being "dressed like a doll" and eating by herself. Some honeymoon. Fast forwarding, she finds out the reasons for Georges' disconnect. He has some sort of mental retardation that is why his mother has such a tight hold on him. George has these psychotic breaks when something overwhelming happens regarding his title as king. He just wants to be normal or what he wants to be, "farmer George". The people have never seen him all to keep his aliment a secret from the public eye. He goes through many disturbing treatments by his doctor to break his trauma of being king. King George starts to get better with his wife by his side nd lets the doctor go. But lo and behold the doctor is still in there home and lets king George know
that Charlotte is pregnant. That is a huge life event and its even bigger when your a royal. King George loses it and is back into the hands of the doctor that gets a kick out of tormenting a royal. So the king goes back to his own castle and Charlotte is left alone with her mother in law completely in the dark.
Queen Charlotte as a Wife Main Points
Fight For Your Man
As seen throughout the show, Queen Charlotte is indeed a fighter. The main point is when Queen Charlotte was pregnant with there 1st child and George completely fell off the face of the Earth. Due to dramatic irony, we know that he was being tortured (cured?) from his ailment at his castle (not a fan of that doctor at all!). Like many women, Charlotte fell into worry, doubts, and depression. We women are plagued with the struggle of our mind. It's the fear of the unknown. We don't know if we are still secure and that is a big fear for many, even more so when pregnant( ooo lord hormones!). By nature the men provide (love, support, money, even though the later was no worry) and when we don't feel that, two things can happen. On one hand we fall into the feminist mind set, on the other, we fight for him. If Queen Charlotte had fallen into the 1st option she would be a "bad B" or a "boss" because she don't need a man and figure out how to work around running the kingdom her way. However, she fought for him.
She went to his castle, got him, and discovered the pain he was going through from that horrid doctor. She was a force. She was STILL a lady about it as well. She didn't need to throw hands, use choice words, or any other "ratchetivity" It showed that you will get respect when you act like the royalty you are, protect what is yours, and more so when you have God with you in our case.
Godly Women Application: When you don't know what's happening with your husband, fight for him. A praying women is a dangerous women. Pray before anything, for understanding so we don't let our womanish emotions and thoughts get in the way. Pray that he opens up to you. Ask God to give understanding on your husband and how to help so you both can get on with your kingdom building. Still stay in your role. Cook for him, keep the home in order, make sure all is peaceful in the home, or what other duties you have. Then, God willing, he can feel safe, seeing that you are still there for him no matter what. He'll know that he won't be judged by you for whatever he is going through. Never give up, you might be close to doing so, but keep fighting.
Non-Judgmental
When Queen Charlotte first found out about King Georges' aliment, yes there was an initial shock reaction. She even wanted to leave. But, she stayed with him and learned how to meet him on his level as farmer George. She started calling herself his Venus because she know that would connect with him. Eventually, she was able to bring him back with just her name. I I am not ashamed to say I teared up a bit at the under the bed scene. Years later, we saw that King George's mental state is pretty much gone and Queen Charlotte is able to reconnect with him. She remembered when they were young that he crawled under the bed in shame and she went too. She wasn't worried about getting her hair or dress messy, she was just
worried about comforting her husband and letting him know he was safe with her.
Godly Women Application: Everyone has flaws and men are included. Marriage never starts out perfect and there are many bumps along the way. There is that period of learning each other and seeing things you didn't before. You have to learn each others communication styles, what buttons that exist because of past scars that should not be touched, and how each of you react when trials come. So we don't judge. Are we as women perfect? No. We have to come to a level of understanding the man in our life and protect his short comings (discretion, discretion, discretion!). Queen Charlotte didn't run to the town about her husband being mentality touched. She got information from all who knew, figured/learned out how to help him, and went on with her mission as a wife and queen.
A True Helpmeet
In marriage, we know the wife helps the husband MEET his goals. Its a partnership to build legacy. King George had many responsibilities that he
could not handle on his own. Those responsibilities weighted down on him so much that it affected him mentally. But, when Queen Charlotte come around he was able to handle it for a time until his aliment took him over. She understood him and his struggle and was his pillar. He made his first social appearance at lady Danbury's ball. The scene when they return home is truly amazing. King George lets Queen Charlotte know what she has done for England (start to close the racial divide). He says that he feels he can do anything with her. They hosted their own ball for Parliament to meet the King for the 1st time as her idea because George could not mentally handle going to Parliament to preform a speech. I loved how gentle and feminine she was with him once she know what was wrong. She would notice when an episode was about to happen and she would encourage him. She would take his hand and reassure him that she was there for him. Again, with our womanly curse, if you will, we would get in our feelings and say we can't handle this. However, she showed the example to stay and be there for him. Even years later, Queen Charlotte still had his back. The spin off doesn't really tell us when King George's mental state completely took a turn for the worse. However, we still see Queen Charlotte holding down the kingdom for her husband running it how they agreed.
I truly think Queen Charlotte was a "boss", but her husband was the CEO.
Godly Women Application: A very good sister of mine once said to be a wife or helpmeet it means to be his pillar. Any mission he has in life you assist him to make it complete. Many times we get the urge to take over and get the upper hand, but its not the way. We have to decrease so he can increase and know that the mission will benefit the family in the end.
So do you agree? Was Queen Charlotte's example one to look up to or not? Did you point out any other points I didn't state? Did any other women stick out to you in this spin off? If so, feel free to comment, like and share!
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