Queen Charlotte and King George III’s Real-Life Love Story

The new Bridgerton prequel fictionalizes the early years of Queen Charlotte and King George’s relationship. But what really happened in the royal couple’s marriage?

In Queen Charlotte, the early years of Queen Charlotte and King George’s marriage are fictionalized, showing how a young Charlotte (India Amarteifio) and young George (Corey Mylchreest) fall for each other, and overcome the challenges of George’s mental illness.

Part of the reason why she’s so angry is because she wants true love. She doesn’t want her love to be a trade or anything to do with politics or power or money. She wants real love, the understanding of two people just bonding and finding each other.

~ India Amarteifio (Young Queen Charlotte)

It was our challenge to make every moment of joy and pleasure between these two people as vibrant as possible. Because everyone knows, and I think in a way those characters know as well, where everything is heading.

~ Corey Mylchreest (Young King George)

By many historical accounts, they had a healthy marriage, and slept in the same bed until they were unable to due to his illness. Even after their separation, King George III told Charlotte’s lady-in-waiting Fanny Burney, according to biographer Andrew Roberts, “The queen is my physician, and no man can have a better; she is my friend, and no man can have a better.”

Charlotte, too, loved George. “I have this instant been made very happy with Your very Affectionnate [sic] & kind letter, for which I want words to Express both my joy & happiness, but I can say with great Truth that tho my Pen cannot express my feeling my Heart most does most deeply feel,” Charlotte wrote to George in 1797, according to the Royal Collection Trust.

Here, a timeline of Queen Charlotte and King George’s relationship. As Historic Royal Palaces writes, “They shared a happy life together, producing 15 children until their lives were changed and saddened by the King’s devastating mental illness. Nonetheless Charlotte remained steadfast and loyal to her husband.”

August 14, 1671: The marriage contract is signed by Charlotte’s brother, Duke Adolphus Frederick IV and Simon Harcourt, 1st Earl Harcourt, a special ambassador to Mecklenburg-Sterlitz from the court of King George III.