Dearest reader, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story has captivated its audience with its portrayal of romance in true Bridgerton fashion.
Taking inspiration from the real-life marriage of Queen Charlotte and King George III, the show once again shows viewers that love takes many forms and differs from person to person. The focus of this series may be on Queen Charlotte as she struggles with her role as Queen, wife, and mother. However, for me, there was something much more interesting to watch unfold. (This is your spoiler warning)
Lady Danbury
Lady Agatha Danbury is a key part of the Bridgerton cast. In the main series, she serves as an esteemed elder of high society. When we first meet her, we know she is a widow for the copious amount of black she wears compared to the pastels of the time. Her friendship with the Queen is also noted throughout the series as well as with other families in the Ton.
This series introduces a younger Lady Danbury as just Mrs.Danbury. She is titleless and stuck in an abusive marriage with her much more elderly husband. Her marriage is a stark contrast to the past two seasons which featured steamy, dramatic romances that had its audience on the edge of their seats and believing in true love.
We soon learn that her parents betrothed her to her husband when she was three years old. Her parents dictated that she must like what her husband likes, squashing her voice. Her husband saw her as his property to breed and belittled her achievements by making them his.
This makes him extremely unlikable, so when he dies, I felt nothing but joy. This seems like the end of her problems, and in many ways, it is. While she has to fight to keep her family’s title, that fight is nothing compared to her discovering autonomy.
Finding Autonomy
As a widow, Lady Danbury has options. Once she passes a mourning period, she can remarry or remain a widow. As the season progresses, she has an affair with a married man. In this affair, she discovers that she is able to find love and enjoy herself. After years of abuse, she falls for the first man to show her kindness. However, the affair soon ends due to her lover’s guilt. Due to societal conventions, their love quickly fails. When we jump forward in the series, we see she fondly remembers the affair and is grateful that she was able to experience love.
Soon after meeting the Queen’s brother, he proposes to her. However, she soon learns that she will have to leave her life behind and bear more children. While she enjoys his company, the idea of having more children mortifies her, and she rejects his proposal.
The ability to say no to a man without fearing immediate repercussions solidifies the fact that she is free from her chains. She is able to continue her life and as we know from prior seasons, Lady Danbury lives a long and happy life and marches to the beat of her own drum.
Want more Bridgerton? Check out our thoughts on past seasons! Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is streaming on Netflix.
