While watching Netflix’s lavish period drama and Bridgerton spinoff Queen Charlotte, you may recognize the name “King George.” You’ve seen him before, after all! But you may not recognize his face, not just because this series takes place many years before Bridgerton, but because this (much kinder and sweeter than usual) version of King George is played by a virtually unknown actor.
Who was King George?
King George III, to be exact. He ruled Britain and Ireland from 1760 until he died in 1820, at which point his and Queen Charlotte’s son, King George IV, took over, having already ruled as Regent while his father was suffering from mental illness. (Hey, if you’ve heard of the British historical sitcom Blackadder, check out season three to see none other than future icon Hugh Laurie do a hilarious take on George IV.)
George III’s mental illness forms a big part of the plot of Queen Charlotte, and it’s accurate to history in that the king did indeed live with a serious mental health issue, possibly bipolar disorder, although historians don’t know for certain. Portraying this accurately was a big deal for the lucky actor who won the coveted role.
Who plays King George?
British actor Corey Mylchreest played the young George in Queen Charlotte, and he absolutely threw himself into the role. He told Behind the Blinds,
I started with research and dove straight into the book by Andrew Roberts about George, which is the first biography to be published after 2015, when the Royal libraries in the UK released 20,000 pages of George III’s personal journals and letters. They were a revelation in terms of finding out about the man that he was, and I listened to lots of podcasts and watched some of the other depictions.
That wasn’t all, though. He also drew inspiration from another smash hit TV show, HBO’s Succession!
The theme to Succession, ‘Adagio in C Minor’, which is a variation on a theme, without drums or piano. I remember watching the series, and in one shot which I paused, there was this frame of Jeremy Strong, who played Kendall Roy, and I just looked at him and thought, ‘that is George’. That resignation to the shame and crushing, oppressive power of duty and your bloodline and your role, and he just looked destroyed. I actually printed that picture off and put it on my character book. So, I would listen to that every day as I put on George’s ring, which is on his pinkie finger on his left hand.
Now that’s dedication.
Where have I seen Corey before?
Queen Charlotte was absolutely Mylchreest’s big break, as he’d been in very few productions beforehand. His IMDB page only lists four projects, and he doesn’t have a Wikipedia page! (Hopefully, this will change soon.) You may however have spotted him playing Adonis in the first episode of Netflix’s The Sandman.
But based on his performance in Queen Charlotte, and the positive reception he’s received from Bridgerton fans, we can probably expect him to nab a few more roles soon!
What else is going on in Corey Mylchreest’s life?
Bad news, everyone: Mylchreest has a girlfriend. He confirmed it in this interview with extraTV, leading to much disappointment in the comments.
He also has an Instagram, where he shares news of his upcoming projects, as well as behind-the-scenes pictures of Queen Charlotte! There’s a mere 19 posts there, but he’s already got over a million followers. He’s definitely doing everything right.
(featured image: Netflix)
