May 10, 2023 11.00 am This story is over 13 months old

What the critics are saying about Lincolnshire-filmed Bridgerton: Queen Charlotte

(And will film crews be back at Belton House?)
Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) arrives in England to be married to King George | Photo: Netflix/Shondaland

Dear Readers, the high anticipated prequel to the popular series Bridgerton has finally landed on Netflix – and it’s been received with a royal welcome from fans.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story follows one of the show’s most popular characters as she marries the English King George and rises to power.

Belton House near Grantham looks fit for a king as the sumptuous royal residence Kew Palace.

While the passionate romance sizzles on the screen, the allure of the picturesque Lincolnshire country house is equally captivating.

Although many spin-offs fail to capture the magic of the original, the cinema ton’s reviews have been very kind to Queen Charlotte.

The first season currently holds a 93% fresh critic score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, and 85% audience score.

Queen Charlotte scenes filmed at Belton House in Lincolnshire | Photo: Belton House/Netflix

The Times’ review was full of praise, saying: “This show is clever: again and again it breathes new life into old themes.”

The Metro agreed, saying: “We desperately hope that this isn’t the last that we see of the younger versions of Queen Charlotte and King George.”

There was praise for stars India Amarteifio and Corey Mylchreest as the royal couple.

The Guardian added: “The series is a rare exception to the rule of prequels and will hopefully set many of its younger stars on the road to success.”

While the romance enthralled most, there was some criticism about the way the show handled the subjects of prejudice and racism.

The North Front at Belton House, Lincolnshire, a Restoration country house built 1685-88 | Photo: Belton House

The Rolling Stone wrote: “By centering serious issues without handling any of them deftly, Queen Charlotte’s final result paints a pretty picture, just not one you want to look at for too long.”

AV Club said: “Bridgerton fans will likely find Queen Charlotte breezy, sexy fun, but any attempt to go deeper sadly comes up short.”

So will there be a second series?

Creator Shonda Rhimes says she isn’t “ruling anything out”, meaning film crews could return to Lincolnshire in the future. 

Fans are sure to roll out the royal welcome if they do.

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