5 facts about the real Queen Charlotte

Following the release of the latest Netflix series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, we share some facts about the real Queen Charlotte

Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, better known as Queen Charlotte, was a captivating historical figure.

The inspiration behind the latest Bridgerton prequel, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, Charlotte had been born into the royal family of Northern German kingdom Mecklenburg-Strelitz in 1744. She was the youngest daughter of Duke Charles Louis Frederick of Mecklenburg and Princess Elisabeth Albertine of Saxe-Hildburghausen. At the age of 17, the German-born princess came to England and married King George III, whom she had never met.

In case you missed it: ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ is coming to Netflix: What we know so far

View this post on Instagram

The new Netflix series is a historical “fiction inspired by fact” and sees India Ria Amarteifio star as Queen Charlotte. The show explores the marriage between Queen Charlotte and King George III as well as his mental illness.

While the spin-off series documents Queen Charlotte’s life, some of the events in the series may have been dramatised. That said, Queen Charlotte did indeed live a fascinating life as Queen for nearly 60 years.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is available to stream on Netflix.

1. She was married to King George III within hours of her arrival in the UK

circa 1780: King George III (1738 - 1820) and his consort Charlotte Sophia, (1744 - 1818),. They married in 1761. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Above King George III and Queen Charlotte (Photo: Getty Images)

Like the series, Queen Charlotte and her brother Duke Adolphus Frederick IV arrived in London on September 8, 1761. They were received by the King and the then princess was united in marriage six hours later.

2. She had 15 children

Queen Charlotte (1744-1818), with her Two Eldest Sons, 1769. Found in the collection of the Royal Collection, London. (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

Above Queen Charlotte and her two eldest sons (Photo: Getty Images)

During her years with King George III, Queen Charlotte gave birth to 15 children, with her first child, Prince George of Wales, born less than a year after the marriage. 13 of her 15 children survived into adulthood. Her eighth son Prince Octavius of Great Britain passed at the age of four while her ninth son Prince Alfred of Great Britain passed at the age of two—both sons passed due to smallpox.

3. She was a fan of classical music

'Portrait of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Wife of King George III of England', 1773. Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1744-1818) married George III on 8 September 1761. Found in the collection of the State Hermitage, St Petersburg. (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

Above Queen Charlotte was a fan of classical music (Photo: Getty Images)

According to H. Eugene Lehman’s book, Lives of England’s Reigning and Consort Queens, both Queen Charlotte and King George III enjoyed classical music—in particular, the works of German composers. In 1764, Queen Charlotte invited eight-year-old Wolfgang Mozart to visit England for a year. According to Lehman, Mozart’s ability to sight-read and play complex compositions had “dazzled and delighted the court”.

In case you missed it: Netflix’s Bridgerton is allowing classical music enjoy a newfound popularity

4. She had a passion for botany

Queen Charlotte's Cottage, Kew Gardens, London, 1894. 18th century thatched cottage which was a private haven for Queen Charlotte. From Beautiful Britain; views of our stately homes. [The Werner Company of Chicago, 1894]. Artist Unknown. (Photo by The Print Collector/Getty Images)

Above Queen Charlotte's cottage at Kew Gardens (Photo: Getty Images)

According to Historic Royal Palaces, Queen Charlotte enjoyed cataloguing plants and flowers during her walks around Kew Gardens. She also constantly surrounded herself with botanists such as Joseph Banks.

She also introduced the Christmas tree to Britain during the 1800s, as similarly portrayed in the series.

5. She loved animals

UNSPECIFIED - CIRCA 2003: Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Mirow, 1744-Kew Gardens, 1818), Queen consort of the United Kingdom and electress consort (later Queen) of Hanover, 1845 copy by George Healy (1808-1894), of painting by Thomas Gainsborough, oil on canvas, 238x151 cm. Versailles, ChÃ¢teau De Versailles (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)

Above Queen Charlotte loved dogs (Photo: Getty Images)

Similar to the series, Queen Charlotte had a deep affection for animals, especially her pomeranians. She had also travelled to Britain with her two pomeranians, Phoebe and Mercury for comfort. She was also known to breed pomeranians and gift them to other royals.

17 jewellery pieces inspired by ‘Bridgerton’

Everything we know about the ‘Bridgerton’ prequel so far

Topics

Queen Charlotte Netflix Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

Tatler Asia

Who is Queen Charlotte? 5 facts about the inspiration behind ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’

1. She was married to King George III within hours of her arrival in the UK

2. She had 15 children

3. She was a fan of classical music

4. She had a passion for botany

5. She loved animals