The countdown until members of the ton are offered a new dose of entertainment in the form of the Bridgerton prequel, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, is officially on. The royal drama is set to chronicle the epic romance between a young then-Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (India Amarteifio) and a young King George III (Corey Mylchreest). It will also explore the couple’s union in the eyes of the ton and a drastic shift for Charlotte from Princess to Queen. As part of the young royals’ rise to power, the series is set to feature both Amarteifio as the young sovereign and original Queen Charlotte actress Golda Rosheuvel as the familiar adult monarch. Ahead of the show’s release audiences have been teased with a new look at Rosheuvel as her regal alter-ego.

In new teaser, Queen Charlotte is seen looking simply “flawless, my dear” in her signature heart-shaped wig and a lavish pink ballgown laced in gold embroidery. In true regal fashion, Charlotte boasts a lavish gold crown set with blinding pink jewels that highlight her rosy makeup. Despite being the picture of perfection, it’s clear there is more brimming under the surface with the official Bridgerton Instagram account teasing: “The Queen exudes a past so interesting it would leave the Ton speechless.”

What Is ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ About?

This very much aligns with the fragments of information audiences have about the spin-off series thus far. From the synopsis alone, it’s been suggested Charlotte’s kingly husband has a chest of secrets that run so deep they could “shake the very foundations of the monarchy.” If that wasn’t enough to contend with, show creator Shonda Rhimes previously revealed to The Sunday Times that in spite of having everything she could want she is still very much suffering beneath the surface which alludes to a mountain of problems for the royal. The show is an exciting deep-dive into the character who has always come across as a very complex character throughout the main Bridgerton series. Despite initially being portrayed as sharp and harsh, viewers have witnessed moments of exceptional kindness such as her supporting the Sharma sisters respectively in the most recent season – even setting Edwina (Charithra Chandran) up with her Prince nephew after her union with Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) crumbled. This suggests there is plenty more to the Queen than just champagne and diamonds (of the season).

The brand new prequel story was not a part of Julia Quinn‘s original Bridgerton novel series but was instead created both as a book and series especially for Netflix, with Rhimes and Quinn teaming up on the project. As well as peeling back the layers of the monarch, there are plenty of other elements audiences have to look forward to including Charlotte’s powerful sisterly bond with Lady Danbury (Arsema Thomas). In the main series, the pair are seen to have a quiet but trusting relationship so this is set to be an exciting insight into how that came to be.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story arrives on Netflix on May 4 and hits bookshelves as a novel on May 9. You can see a fresh look at adult Queen Charlotte in the new series below.

via Collider