A Black noblewoman finds love and happiness as the wife of England’s king: That is the heart-warming if improbable plot of Shonda Rhimes’ latest historical miniseries ”Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.”
Shaun Armstead
Shaun Armstead
The six-episode prequel to “Bridgerton” is currently streaming on Netflix. “Queen Charlotte” explores the origins of the racially-integrated aristocratic society to which viewers were introduced in two earlier seasons of the wildly popular series.
It ought to be clear that an interracial love story between royals in a late-18th century Britain where people of all races interact on near-equal footing, is fantasy. And for those who don’t know that, a disclaimer at the start of the first episode of “Queen Charlotte” offers a reminder.
But its departure from history has not detracted from its appeal: the series has charmed millions of viewers since its debut this month. For some, its celebration of a multiracial but purely fictional British aristocracy may even be a big part of its appeal.
