Can’t get enough of ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story?’ Visit these 3 places

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  • Published on May 10, 2023
  • Last Updated June 8, 2023
  • In Places

Once you’ve finished binge watching the new Netflix series, learn more about the queen at these locations.

Netflix’s “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” is here and fans are already in love. The “Bridgerton” spin-off and Shonda Rhimes-produced tale follows the journey of the titular character as a young woman when she arrives in Britain in 1761 to marry King George III.

The show certainly feeds into society’s fascination with the British monarch and although the Netflix series is a fictionalized retelling of Queen Charlotte’s story, there are real-life locations you can visit to get a better understanding of who the queen was. South China Morning Post listed three places to explore once you’ve finished binge watching the series.

Buckingham Palace, London

The palace is riddled with nods to Queen Charlotte. There are various paintings of the queen, such as a life-size portrait painted by Allan Ramsey, the king’s go-to painter; Charlotte and her family, depicted by her favorite artist Johan Zoffany; and a full-length portrait by Thomas Gainsborough, which is rarely displayed.

Queen Charlotte’s personal belongings including jewelry, her psalm book, and a needlework bag that she embroidered herself are also available to view.

South China Morning Post notes that the “Style & Society: Dressing the Georgians” exhibit at the Queen’s Gallery heavily features Charlotte as an example of Georgian fashion. The exhibit is open every day, with the exception of Tuesdays and Wednesdays, until October 8.

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, London

Queen Charlotte had a personal connection to the Kew Gardens, as mother-in-law Princess Augusta founded the garden. The queen also enjoyed botany and helped to catalog and draw the exotic plants at Kew.

King George III purchased Kew Palace, as it is known today, to be used as the royal family’s summer vacation home. The structure is reminiscent of Dutch-style architecture, made apparent by its red brick and gables. The queen died in the house and, according to the South China Morning Post, Queen Victoria insisted that the space be maintained as it was while her grandmother was alive.

Another notable structure is Queen Charlotte’s Cottage, which resides in the southwest area of Kew Gardens. The queen didn’t live in the home, but instead she stopped in for refreshments during her long walks in the garden.

Kew Palace is open to the public daily, while Queen Charlotte’s Cottage can be visited during the weekends and public holidays until September 24.

Frogmore House, Windsor, Berkshire

Frogmore House, which was purchased by Queen Charlotte in the 1790s, was a space for the queen to retreat from Windsor Castle and the declining health of her husband. Charlotte’s love for botany influenced the aesthetic of what is known as the Mary Moser Room. Moser was an 18th century flower painter and was selected by the queen to adorn the walls and ceiling of the space with her work. In addition to the work inside, Queen Charlotte also commissioned the design of the home’s exterior gardens.

Frogmore House is open to the public in August on certain days. The dates for 2023 have not been announced.

Roshae Hemmings is an arts and culture magazine journalist from St. Louis, MO. A graduate from the Missouri School of Journalism, Roshae has bylines in the Columbia Missourian, Vox Magazineand 5280 Magazinediscussing topics ranging from pop culture, social justice and eat and drink. She is a foodie at heart and enjoys eating food as much as learning about the story behind it. When she’s not working on a story, Roshae enjoys cooking, watching and analyzing reality TV, and spending time with family and friends.

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This story was originally published May 10, 2023 3:35 PM.

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