Netflix releases first clip from ‘Bridgerton’ Queen Charlotte spin-off

“Bridgerton” fans were treated to several sneak peeks during Netflix’s Tudum Festival on Saturday, Sept. 24.

In addition to Nicola Coughlan reading Lady Whistledown’s first newsletter of season three, which will center on her character Penelope Featherington, Netflix debuted the first clip from “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.”

Before the clip was shared during the fan event's livestream, Shonda Rhimes, the executive producer of “Bridgerton” and the Queen Charlotte prequel series, described it as a “very, extremely early first look” at the show as it showed an interaction between a young Queen Charlotte and King George, played by India Amarteifio and Corey Mylchreest, respectively.

In the scene posted on Twitter, Amarteifio tried to climb up a wall before she was interrupted by Mylchreest. When he asked Amarteifio if she needed any help, Amarteifio replied, “Uh, I am quite fine, thank you. You can go back inside and wait with all the other gawkers.”

Mylchreest questioned what she was up to before an argument ensued between the two characters, with Amarteifio insisting that she was not up to anything while Mylchreest begged to differ. Eventually, Amarteifio got down from the wall and told Mylchreest that she was trying to figure out how to climb over the wall of the garden to escape.

When he asked why she was attempting to climb the wall to leave, she said, “Because I think be may be a beast, or a troll,” before reluctantly admitting she was talking about the king.

“No one will speak of him. No one,” Amarteifio said. “He is clearly a beast or a troll…You know, if I grab there, perhaps you could assist me by lifting me up there?”

Mylchreest replied with another question, asking, “You do not like beasts or trolls? What he looks like matters?”

“I do not care what he looks like,” she said. “What I do not like is not knowing. Now, here. Just take hold here. With a lift, I believe I can make it over the garden wall.”

When Mylchreest declined to help her over the wall so she could escape, Amarteifio accused him of not helping “a lady in distress,” to which he replied, “I refuse when that lady in distress is trying to go over a wall so she does not have to marry me.”

In her introduction to the clip, Rhimes said she was “beyond thrilled” for fans of “Bridgerton” to see the prequel series, which does not yet have a release date but was first announced in May 2021.

“I wanted to make this show because I was always very interested in the origin story of Queen Charlotte and how she came to be the woman that we all know in ‘Bridgeton,’” she added. “So this was our chance to tell that story. I want to take this moment to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of the love you’ve shown us for ‘Bridgerton.’ It’s so rewarding to see how you’ve all jumped into the world we’ve created and I couldn’t be more grateful. I hope you’ll equally in love with the story of Queen Charlotte.”

Ahead of Tudum Festival, Netflix also unveiled on Friday, Sept. 23 the first photo from the set of the “Bridgerton” spin-off. The streaming giant shared a picture of Amarteifio donning her character’s elegant garb, including a neutral-toned cape and cream and blue dress, as well as an intricate crown on her head.

Adjoa Andoh, who plays Lady Danbury in “Bridgerton,” and Golda Rosheuvel, who portrays Queen Charlotte, also appeared together alongside Amarteifio ahead of the exclusive preview to discuss the forthcoming series, which will also be accompanied by a new book in the “Bridgerton” universe co-written by Julia Quinn and Rhimes.

Amarteifio described the feeling of when she first came to set, telling Andoh and Rosheuvel she experienced “love from everyone" and recognized a "real sense of community from the beginning.”

She also said that she took a page from Rosheuvel’s book to prepare for her role. After taking time to do some research, she said she remembered a piece of advice from Rosheuvel, adding, “But actually, you said in an interview I read, not to do too much research because this is Shonda’s world."

Rosheuvel celebrated Amarteifio’s in an exclusive clip, explaining, “We have this wonderful kind of tag team where we high-five each other. Do you know what I mean? And the baton is passed on, which I think is a real beautiful metaphor for the older and newer.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com