Bridgerton season 4 hints at game-changing Queen Charlotte twist in new sneak peek
Bridgerton is returning to Netflix later this month, and a new still from the fourth season teases a major twist for Queen Charlotte
Netflix enthusiasts have received an exciting update on the eagerly awaited fourth season of Bridgerton, hinting at a surprising shift for series regular Queen Charlotte (portrayed by Golda Rosheuvel).
The popular period romance series will be released in two parts over the coming two months, with the first four episodes premiering on Thursday, 29th January.
This season, the spotlight falls on the second eldest son, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), as he becomes smitten with a mysterious Lady in Silver at a grand masquerade ball hosted by his mother, Lady Violet (Ruth Gemmell).
However, Benedict's newfound affection is not for a woman of high society, but rather for the young maid of a newly arrived family to the ton, Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha).
As the series explores themes of cross-class romance, the monarchy also faces its own challenges, as hinted at in a new still released ahead of the upcoming episodes, reports the Mirror.
In the image, Queen Charlotte appears troubled after receiving some intriguing correspondence, while her right-hand man Brimsley (Hugh Sachs) watches on, his curiosity aroused.
Fans eager to discover the contents of the message will have to wait until the premiere of the fourth season at the end of the month. Nevertheless, recent hints from Netflix suggest that the Queen may have to deal with some significant revelations this time around.
The most plausible theory suggests that the letter contains the latest gossip from Lady Whistledown, otherwise known as Penelope Bridgerton, played by Nicola Coughlan.
Speaking to Tudum, Coughlan teases that her character's storyline will become increasingly intertwined with the Queen's in series four following the exposure of Mayfair's infamous columnist at the conclusion of series three.
"[Penelope] realizes how difficult it is to be Whistledown and [to deal] with the fame that comes with it," she revealed.
"With Queen Charlotte becoming very involved in what she's doing, these are things she's never had to contend with before, since she was such a solitary person. It's really turning her world upside down."
Hinting at Benedict and Sophie's inevitably passionate romance, showrunner Jess Brownell explains: "Benedict's free-spiritedness is both natural and genuine, but he uses it as a crutch.
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"He's really open-minded, and he cares about seeing past what people present on the outside.
"That's meaningful, but the part that he never lets anyone see is the crutch. This season, we're interested in watching what happens when he finally starts to let people in."
Prepare for another heart-melting romance for the ages when Bridgerton makes its return in just a matter of weeks.
Bridgerton season 4, part 1 premieres Thursday, 29th January on Netflix. Part 2 arrives on Thursday, 26th February.