When Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, the prequel to the series, was released on Netflix this spring, Bridgerton fans were in for a treat. And it more than lived up to the hype, bringing back in full force all the romance, intrigue, and exquisite Regency-era ballgowns. Additionally, it explores the interesting and complex life of the vivacious Queen Charlotte and her charming love affair with King George.
King George, whose personal life is also explored in the prequel offshoot to the original Bridgerton series, struggles with his mental health, as everyone knows from the original series.
What is actually happening with King George, then? What you should know about the actual King George III, on whom this character is based, and his issues with mental health.
What went wrong with King George in Bridgerton
Rewind for a moment. Firstly, George is not “wrong” in any way.
History experts are aware that George battled with his mental health throughout his life, a sensitive and challenging subject. However, it’s quite typical for people to experience some sort of mental health issue. According to estimates from the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), more than one in five adults in the United States suffer from a mental disease.
It’s true that mental health conditions may now be accurately identified and treated, but that wasn’t the case when Queen Charlotte and King George were alive.
There is nothing “wrong” with him, to reiterate. George is really quite wonderful. He’s just unlucky enough to have a mental health problem at a time when they weren’t effectively identified and treated, making it occasionally challenging for him to do the duties that people expected of him.
What happens after the death of King George in Bridgerton
According to History, King George battled a disease in 1788 that led to a spiralling out of-control of his behaviour. He had severe convulsions so awful that servants had to force him to the ground to prevent him from hurting himself, spoke gibberish, made inappropriate advances toward women, and suffered from hallucinations.
After 60 years on the throne at Windsor Castle, George eventually passed away. He was blind at the time, and his “mental faculties had abandoned him.
When George III became too ill to reign, his son, George IV, was chosen to serve as Prince Regent.
According to the official website of the royal family, George IV officially became king in 1820 at the age of 48, having served as Regent since 1811 when he was 48. Fun fact: In 1785, George wed Mrs. Fitzherbert, a Roman Catholic woman, in secret and outside the law. You can watch the show on Netflix.
