In Queen Charlotte: a Bridgerton Story, we learn about George, the astronomy-loving monarch who suffers from a debilitating mental illness. In Queen Charlotte, George is far removed from the bit character who occasionally appears in Bridgerton. Instead, he’s warm, kind, charismatic, and deeply sympathetic.
George is such a great character that you might forget he’s appeared in another historical adaptation. I know I did!
Luckily, Buzzfeed editor Tobà Rachel Akins took to Twitter to remind us all where we’ve seen George before.
Holy shit! Of course! King George III from Bridgerton is the very same King George III from the beloved Broadway musical Hamilton! You know, the guy my country fought an entire war against!
I find it hilarious that I didn’t make the connection. It’s not like the Bridgerton world has ever been shy about when it takes place and who its characters are based on. In Queen Charlotte, one character even mentions that the colonies are revolting against England.
As Akins points out, though, George in Queen Charlotte and George in Hamilton are two radically different characters. Charlotte’s George has no interest in his royal duties, and feels trapped by the fact that he was born into the position. All he wants to do is study astronomy and work on his farm.
In Hamilton, however, George is obsessed with keeping control over the American colonies. While Charlotte’s George often appears in plain work clothes or even shirtless, Hamilton’s George is never without his crown, wig, and regalia. As Akins points out, storytellers who are using their different perspectives to tell unique stories can tap into historical truth to come up with two very different characters.
Wow, it’s almost as if a talented writer can do really amazing things with a character! Maybe studios should make sure they’re paying their writers fairly!
(featured image: Netflix)
