The real Queen Charlotte was very different from the dominating, but likeable Queen in the Bridgerton series. This insightful and sympathetic portrayal gives readers an account of her character, and her many trials and tribulations. She remains likeable, but her tragic life understandably changed her temperament somewhat.

Queen Charlotte and George III had a remarkably happy marriage, enjoying a secluded life. Her main interest was botany and she also kept a menagerie, introducing kangaroos to England. (The kangaroos started to take over the menagerie)! However, the loss of children, her husband's illness and her fight with the Prince Regent sharpened her temper, and she could be difficult. She was definitely very hard on her poor daughters, not wanting them to get married, and keeping them in a 'Windsor nunnery'!

This was an interesting look at Queen Charlotte's tragic life by Catherine Curzon.You really feel for the poor Queen, having to deal with a husband who seemed mad, a rebellious son, and unhappy daughters.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

4 out of 5 stars

This book was super interesting and I really appreciated learning so much about Queen Charlotte and King George III in such an in-depth way. It just adds more layers to Queen Charlotte's story and life, instead of simply "the wife" of King George III.

Very interesting I never much thought about this historic Queen but I found this book quite interesting and engaging.

I really enjoyed this, a must read if you’re a fan of the time period but anyone with a general interest in women in history will find this fascinating. Really well researched and explained, not too heavy and well written.

This was a short book that felt a bit cursory in its approach. I learned several new things about Queen Charlotte, but the book felt a bit rushed at times, with only minor detail given about the queen. The resources listed at the end of the book in the bibliography section were numerous, and I wish the book had utilized them more. At only 150 pages, I feel this book would have been better served at double that length in order to fully explore the rich array of source material. As a starting point for research, this book is excellent, and that I believe is the book's redeeming quality. As a sole biography on Queen Charlotte, the book is okay, and might be just fine for casual readers, but for the more academic readers, this book falls a bit short. Overall, a good book that feels too short.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Fascinating story! Highly recommend for history buffs out there.

Bridgerton fans love Queen Charlotte. Her wigs, her gowns, her love for gossip...they all make her a most entertaining character. But what I liked about her was her reaction in season 1 to Simon's explanation for why he and Daphne needed to marry: friendship. Catherine Curzon provides an excellent bio of Queen Charlotte, especially with regard to the early years of her marriage to George III. It was a match made out of duty, but friendship blossomed and bloomed into love. That was the lesson Simon and Daphne discovered in their 'courtship'.
What makes Charlotte a tragic figure is how she had to watch her friend and love disappear bit by bit with each crisis the king had. Not only did she have that to deal with, she also had unruly sons bent on gaining power. She also had daughters that she kept on such a short rope that 3 didn't marry until they were in their 30s/40s. Today, that's not such a huge deal; in Charlotte's day, that was absolutely scandalous, especially for royalty. Ultimately, Charlotte suffered much loss, but none so great as the loss of her husband King George.
The book itself is a fast-paced read, separated into 3 acts. One could read it in one sitting or do what I did: read over the course of a several days. Doing the latter will allow for better understanding and empathy. Bridgerton gives a glamorous Queen Charlotte; Curzon gives us the real meat and potatoes Queen Charlotte. Trust me when I say the latter gives more depth and nuance to the former that all who read this book will appreciate.