From misunderstandings to unraveling secrets, Netflix’s “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,” released on May 4, is a complex, sweet and heartbreaking spin-off that elevates the “Bridgerton” franchise to a whole new level. 

Ever since season one of “Bridgerton” was released, I’ve been a huge fan; I’ve rewatched the series countless times and have slowly started to make my way through the books as well. So, when the “Queen Charlotte” series was announced, I was more than happy to finally learn about the character whose story I only received fragments of prior.

“Queen Charlotte” tells a fictionalized version of the love story between young Queen Charlotte (India Ria Amarteifio) and her husband King George III (Corey Mylchreest), and is a prequel to the “Bridgerton” series. The series gives insight into the complex life Charlotte led behind closed doors; the life in which she must juggle being Queen of Great Britain despite her husband’s progressing mental illness. While telling the intricate love story of young George and Charlotte, the show still cuts back and forth to present day — during “Bridgerton” — as an older Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) struggles to get one of her 15 children to produce an heir to the throne. 

From the very first moment George met Charlotte in his garden right before their wedding, I could feel the chemistry of the actors radiating off the screen, and was more than excited to see where their story would take them. As the show progressed, I realized my initial impression of George and Charlotte’s relationship was more than wrong — it wasn’t going to be as charming and easy-going as it seemed it would be in the garden.

“Queen Charlotte” dives into the complexity and struggles of both main characters perfectly, whether it be on an individual level or in their relationship. I watched as Charlotte had to navigate social pressure from parliament to produce an heir, her husband’s unexplainable changes in behavior and racial tension in the community. I also loved getting to see the series unravel from George’s perspective, in which he struggled with the pressure of being king and a good husband to Charlotte while dealing with episodes of “madness.” 

Even though the two’s marriage faced many hardships, the way they fought to still love and help one another through it all only made me appreciate the series further, and just made the ending even more bittersweet and painful. Cut to present day in the series, where Queen Charlotte deals with her children while missing her husband, who can’t always be present for her, showing that the inevitable could not be stopped. It was a harsh reality to watch after seeing the younger version of the couple finally figure out their relationship. 

“Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” was even better than I could’ve imagined. From the complex navigation of relationships to the variety of ways the characters develop, for better and worse, the series proves to be a must-watch for all “Bridgerton” fans — and it only made me more excited for season 3 of “Bridgerton.”