Why did it feel like ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 was teasing ‘Queen Charlotte’ Season 2?

The fourth season of Bridgerton, while ultimately satisfying Benedict and Sophie’s dishy romance, had an abundance of subplots and more than one callback to the once (and maybe future) spin-off. In the interest of time, I’m going to be blunt: was Bridgerton Season 4 setting up Queen Charlotte Season 2?

In the unfortunate event that you missed it, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story dropped one six-episode season on Netflix in 2023. The prequel represents the best that Bridgerton has to offer, with complicated love stories that explore societal pressure and desire in a world that is escapist but still complicated. The cast alone is worth holding onto tight forever. India Amarteifio and Corey Mylchreest dominated the central romance as Queen Charlotte and King George, respectively. Arsema Thomas nearly stole the show as a young Lady Agatha Danbury, the Queen’s confident who falls into an unexpected love story of her own. So did Sam Clemmett as the young Queen’s secretary, Brimsley.

Queen Charlotte is focused, sexy, perfect little gem. It could easily have been a one season wonder. But then why did Bridgerton Season 4 wink in its direction so much? I, for one, am suspicious.

Lady Danbury made a big move in Bridgerton Season 4

In the fourth season of the Netflix series, Lady Danbury a.k.a. Agatha expressed a desire to leave London and return to her ancestral lands. (As we learned in Queen Charlotte, Agatha Danbury was born Soma Anderson in Sierra Leone and has royal blood.) Charlotte was not pleased by this news, and therefore Agatha spent the remainder of the season making sure that her friend would have the support she needed in her absence. The two had a particularly memorable fight, in which they grappled with the fact that Agatha, as the Queen’s subject, could never truly be her friend. There’s an inescapable power balance.

All of these little moments made me, at least, long for a rewind. There’s clearly so much more to their story! The way that Charlotte and Agatha were looking at each other in the finale, I half-expected them to momentarily turn into their younger counterparts from Queen Charlotte.

I feel like I’m pretty good at noticing when a show is setting up a spin-off or a potential storyline in a future season. Am I totally off base here? Are we going back to the past, or what? There hasn’t been an official Queen Charlotte Season 2 announcement. Golda Rosheuvel told People that she wasn’t sure it was necessary. Aren’t there other origins to tell, she said?

Bridgerton Season 4 hinted at Violet’s first love as well

Bridgerton Season 4 also saw Violet reminiscing about Edmund Bridgerton even more than usual. Between her dalliance with Lady Danbury’s brother Marcus and Francesca losing her husband, it was top of mind. We’re surely going to see this tale on screen eventually, right? Even Benedict mentioned their famed connection. The whole reason that Violet advocates for her children to make love matches instead of marrying for money or power is that, back in the day, she had the real deal. Connie Jenkins-Greig played the young Violet Ledger in Bridgerton. We got to see the beginning of her friendship with Lady Danbury in the series, but that’s it. Her epic romance is still on the table.

Technically, it doesn’t even have to be Queen Charlotte Season 2 in name. We could still see this cast return to these roles in a new limited series spin-off called Lady Danbury: A Bridgerton Story or Violet & Edmund: A Bridgerton Story. Whatever works! I’m not ashamed to admit my own desperation! If you can’t for a franchise as open-hearted as Bridgerton, when can you?

Director and executive producer Tom Verica told Deadline, definitively, that more spin-offs are in the cards. Hopefully there will be news soon. He was deliberately vague about which familiar faces would take that spotlight, given how large the cast is and how many characters have connected with audiences. “The particular ones we’re talking about,” he said, “it’s going to be really, really enjoyable.”

(featured image: Liam Daniel/Netflix)

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Leah Marilla Thomas

Leah Marilla Thomas (she/her) is a contributor at The Mary Sue. She has been working in digital entertainment journalism since 2013, covering primarily television as well as film and live theatre. She's been on the Marvel beat professionally since Daredevil was a Netflix series. (You might recognize her voice from the Newcomers: Marvel podcast). Outside of journalism, she is 50% Southerner, 50% New Englander, and 100% fangirl over everything from Lord of the Rings to stage lighting and comics about teenagers. She lives in New York City and can often be found in a park. She used to test toys for Hasbro. True story!