What really happens to King George and Queen Charlotte as death looms in Bridgerton part two

Season four of Bridgerton has already given us loads of drama, but alongside Benedict’s love story, there are some pretty heavy hints about Queen Charlotte and King George’s future. In one emotional scene, Queen Charlotte admits she’s scared of being left alone with King George as his illness gets worse.

So, here’s what actually happens to King George and Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton. The real history behind them is even more tragic than the show.

King George’s illness was very real

via Netflix

In Bridgerton, King George is shown battling a serious mental illness. That storyline isn’t made up.

According to National Geographic, King George III suffered from repeated episodes of severe mental illness later in life. He experienced “mania, depression, hallucinations, and convulsions.” At one point in 1765, his condition was so serious that ministers considered making Charlotte act in his place while he was unwell.

Over time, his episodes became longer and more intense. According to the BBC, when George was ill, he would become overly talkative and his language grew increasingly complex and repetitive, signs researchers now associate with mania.

For years, historians believed he had porphyria, a blood disorder. But researcher Peter Garrard told the BBC, “The porphyria theory is completely dead in the water. This was a psychiatric illness.” More recent studies suggest he most likely had bipolar disorder.

By 1810, George suffered a final relapse. His eldest son became Prince Regent in 1811, meaning George was no longer ruling. He remained ill for the rest of his life.

Queen Charlotte stayed devoted to him

via Netflix

Most Read

I’m in prison with Lucy Letby right now and this is what she’s really like

Here’s why people are so freaked out about that super creepy Ring Doorbell advert

Here are Bad Bunny’s translated Super Bowl lyrics, so you know why people are angry

Despite everything, by all accounts, their marriage was loving. National Geographic reports that George once said of his wife, “The queen is my physician, and no man can have a better; she is my friend, and no man can have a better.”

However, as his illness worsened, they were eventually separated. According to a paper published in the London Review of Books, they stopped sharing a bed once his condition became severe.

In the spin-off Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, we see just how painful that distance becomes.

So, how and when did Queen Charlotte die?

via Netflix

In real life, Queen Charlotte died of pneumonia in November 1818 at the age of 74, according to Historic Royal Palaces. King George died two years later. They are buried close together at Windsor Castle.

Now here’s where it gets confusing.

Bridgerton’s timeline is, frankly, a bit of a mess. Season one is set in 1813, and if each season follows one social season, season four would be around 1816. However, the wardrobe department has suggested dates closer to 1817 and 1818. Meanwhile, the spin-off shows events that happened in 1817 and 1818, even though they seem to fall between seasons two and three.

So basically, if the show followed real history strictly, Charlotte’s death would be very close.

But will the show actually go there?

The showrunner, Jess Brownel, has addressed the death theories. Speaking to TV Line, the showrunner suggested they’re not sticking rigidly to real-life dates.

“I worship Golda Rosheuvel, and I think she’s so fantastic in her role. Shonda [Rhimes] and I, internally, have just decided that we’re in an alternate dimension,” she said.

She also explained that because of the show’s “alternate history,” there’s flexibility. “There’s potential that in this timeline, Queen Charlotte could live forever.”

In another interview with Variety, she added, “In reality, Queen Charlotte dies at a certain point that’s not far away. But we have sort of intentionally gone away from specifying what year we are in… We’re just in a different dimension and maybe Queen Charlotte lives longer in that dimension.”

So yes, in real life, both George and Charlotte’s endings were tragic and tied closely to his long illness. But in the world of Bridgerton, things don’t have to follow history exactly. Which means part two could break our hearts… or it could simply rewrite history again.

Bridgerton is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.