Discussion of the show Bridgerton on Netflix. This show is based on the Bridgerton book series by Julia Quinn. Each book in this eight book historical romance series features a member of the Bridgerton family. Premiered Dec 25, 2020. Season 2 premiered May 16, 2024.
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Show Discussion
Extended family? Not related to Adolphus at all. He is on George's side of the family? Have they explained the family tree
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He's definitely related through Charlotte's side (he's German) so he's either Adolphus's son or nephew. Son makes most sense since Frederick is also a Prince but if Adolphus didn't have any male heirs it could pass to the next male heir if they didn't have any living brothers.
George was also ancestrally German and had siblings who married into European royal families, so I don’t think being Prussian indicates one side or the other.
Charlotte specifically tells George when he asks her if she knows what a brothel is that she has brothers.
The Hanovers (George’s family) were famously German. In fact George III is the first of the Hanoverian monarchs to be born and raised in Britain.
George was also of German descent and also the Duke/Prince Elector (and later King) of the German state of Hanover. However, George grew up very English, spoke English as his first language, and never visited Hanover.
IRL Adolphus did not marry.
Well, we all know that the show is no stickler for historical accuracy.
They haven't said. The real Queen Charlotte had a great-nephew named Friedrich of Prussia, so that's probably who he's loosely based on. But they haven't explicitly said it in the show's universe, so it could be anything, really.
Yep I was digging around for this only but couldn't find it. Thanks!
In history, Charlotte's brother was Adolphus IV, Duke of Mecklenburg. He didn't have any children, so not Frederick's father.
Charlotte also had three other brothers who survived to adulthood:
Ernst Gottlob
Charles II
George Augustus
Out of these three, only Charles II has children noted. None of those children are named Frederick.
Now King George's mother was from Germany (Saxe-Gotha), so Frederick might be a nephew on George's side.
But Charles II had a daughter called Friederike who married Friedrich and had a son called Friedrich which is Bridgerton's Frederick. So Charlotte's brother Charles II is his grandfather, thus Charlotte and Adolphus are his grandaunt and granduncle.
Oh the variations of the name Fredrick 🤌🏾😭
As they are German, the "right" name would be Friedrich, i.e. Friedrich Nietzsche, female version is Friederike. I guess they would have only been distinguished by the second, third, fourth etc name 😅 I also never understood why we have a tendency to translate first names of members of royal families, at least in Europe.
That's interesting! Also I checked up on Charles 2 and his daughter Louise, Queen of Prussia. She had a son Prince Frederick Willian 4 who later became the King of Prussia (1840) but he was born in 1795 which would make him only 19 in season 1 (if Shonda isn't stretching timelines again). I find it really interesting that it was Louise's daughter, Alexandra Feodorona who was married to the last Tsar of Russia. I was watching a show on the Tsars of Russia a few years back in Netflix and they made it seem like Alexandra was from some poor or powerless German principality but she was actually a Prussian princess! Wow.
TY! I knew I was missing something. I was thinking I might have been missing a generation!
IF they decided to be strictly historically accurate. Which we all know that the show has no problems ignoring.
We all know that the show is no stickler for historical accuracy. So I suspect that he is whomever they want him to be in relation to QC. All she ever says is that he is her nephew. She does not get into specifics, and nobody asks.
I wondered this myself!
UO: But I do hope Edwina marries Prince Fredrick and we get a little update on them. I don’t need them on screen, but I actually think they’re a good match and would be nice to hear they married and were expecting a child or something happy for both of them.
Yes! They both give off an atypically earnest vibe and both had moments where they showed an instinct for kindness. They'd probably make a nice couple (though a fairly boring tv show, haha).
But Edwina wanted to marry a scholar, not a prince. She didn't have aspirations to get a title.
I think you’re referring to book Edwina. Show Edwina was very much into titles.
Queen Charlotte's nephew (Bridgerton S1 - E3, E4 and E5).
During the Featherington's Ball (S2, E8) the Queen told Edwina "have I yet told you about my nephew? He is a prince. And he is available."
Charlotte and Adolphus had a brother, Charles II. His daughter was Frederica, who married Prince Louis Charles of Prussia. Their son was Prince Frederick of Prussia.
All true. But as everyone knows, this show has no problems discarding historical accuracy. So he could really be whomever they want him to be related to her.
I just remembered the nephew from Season One. Hence checking
He’s probably related to charlotte thru George
Charlotte had many brothers- not just Adolphus. Adolphus never married and died without any heirs.
If u squint they look related here
Well hello there, Your Royal Highness. 👀
I think Charlotte has numerous siblings so he could be one of theirs
(Speaking as a B&W mixed person) if a mixed person has a child with a white person a lot of times they can come out blonde, pale skinned, and blue-eyed (see actress Paula Patton's son and/or influencer Taylor Giavasis' son)
Yeah. I hear you. I'm black. I was just curious if they explained any connection between the characters.
Well given the nephew has been played by a white actor and is styled "Prince of Prussia", I'll guess that he is from George 's side of the family who still reside in a German state or are married into the Prussian royalty. This seems like a highly unlikely scenario given how invested Charlotte is in his marriage and life. According to Google, Charlotte had a lot of brothers and sisters, all styled as Duke and Duchess and then Mecklenburg Strelitz (pardon spelling mistakes) was an independent princely entity (like, Charlotte 's dad was Prince of Mirrow). Now Adolphus was the Prince of Mirrow and Duke of Mecklenburg Strelitz from 1755 to 1794 and then it passed to the next brother which obviously means he died without heirs. Or it just might be that one of Charlotte 's sisters married into the Prussian royalty and Fredrick is her son and hence Charlotte 's nephew which would explain her love for her nephew. There are many possible avenues for this. But he is not Adolphus 's son.
You clearly have not watched QC. They aren’t trying to be “genetically correct” when it comes to the children of mixed race couples. Because almost all of QCs and KGs kids are either white or something else entirely. So the fact that Frederick is played by a white actor does not preclude him from being related to anybody.
I’m guessing he’s her great nephew through her niece Louise, Queen of Prussia.
If they decided to be historically accurate. But they obviously don’t think it’s important how they are related, or else they would’ve told us.
The real Frederick was the son of her niece Louise the Queen of Prussia who was the daughter of her brother Charles who became the Duke when Adolphus died. It sounded like show Frederick is actually a child of one of her sisters which is weird because they never got married in real life.
I don’t think he’s supposed to be her literal nephew but her grand nephew.
Maybe. I can't remember what exactly was said. It was a comment in passing. I will have to watch again to see.
This is just another instance of the show taking liberties with historical accuracy.
Again, the show is not a history lesson. It's an alternate universe in a similar vane to The Great and The Man in the High Castle.
Well aware of that. And have absolutely no problem with it. I don’t watch things like this for history, but to be entertained. I was simply pointing out that they aren’t sticking to history so his relationship to QC might have nothing to do with facts.
He might not be. We only know that he is QCs nephew. But that could be a KG connection. I suspect that it’s on QCs side, since Frederick doesn’t seem to know KG. But Adolphus isn’t QCs only sibling. So he could be Adolphus’ nephew or his son. Also- he is from Prussia and not from the small German region where Adolphus ruled (Mirow), so my best guess is that he’s a nephew from one of QCs other siblings. But honestly, the show clearly doesn’t really care about how exactly they are related or else they would have told us. And, personally, as a viewer, I don’t really care either. This show isn’t about historical accuracy, it’s about the suspension of disbelief, and hedonism, and just enjoying it- which I thoroughly do!
Charlotte is lighter than her brother, If adolphus married someone light-skinned, Fredrick is possible. Alternatively, he could be the child of a younger sister who married into a white family
Yeah I was just curious if the characters are meant to be related or not. It could be any nephew