In Bridgerton season 3, a few allusions are made to Lady Danbury’s past, but they don’t truly make sense unless viewers have seen the Bridgerton spinoff, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. While Lady Danbury is an imposing and fierce character in Bridgerton’s main series, she is even more interesting decades earlier in Queen Charlotte. As a young woman, audiences learn about Lady Danbury’s husband, her home life, and her unusually close relationship with the queen. Now, at the end of Bridgerton season 3, Lady Danbury’s history acts as context for events happening in the present day.

There are two major instances where Lady Danbury’s past becomes important in Bridgerton season 3. The first is Marcus Anderson. Lady Danbury’s brother joins Bridgerton’s season 3 cast and forms an attachment to Violet Bridgerton. Agatha immediately shows resistance towards her brother’s arrival and his affections. The second hint at Danbury’s past comes when she and Violet acknowledge Agatha’s affair with Violet’s father, Lord Ledger. Violet falling in love with Agatha’s brother is similar to Agatha falling in love with Violet’s father. For the first time, the friends reference what occurred during Queen Charlotte.

Bridgerton Just Made It Impossible Not To Rewatch Queen Charlotte

Bridgerton References Queen Charlotte

Bridgerton season 3’s mentions of Lady Danbury’s past make it imperative to watch or rewatch Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. These storylines mostly make sense without Queen Charlotte, but having that context makes them way better. When it comes to Marcus, viewers who have seen Queen Charlotte have a better understanding of why Agatha hated her brother so much. Queen Charlotte offers the inside scoop into Agatha’s home life and the husband she was trying to escape. In terms of Violet, only Queen Charlotte has openly revealed what occurred between Agatha and Lord Ledger.

After Bridgerton season 3, watching Queen Charlotte can give viewers much more clarity

Now that Bridgerton has referenced so much of Lady Danbury’s Queen Charlotte story, it is incredibly tempting to go back and watch it all again. With every new season of Bridgerton, it will be interesting to compare Lady Danbury’s present-day actions to what occurred in the past. Queen Charlotte provides so much background for Agatha’s actions and personality that it is a shame to not watch the spinoff series. After Bridgerton season 3, watching Queen Charlotte can give viewers much more clarity. More importantly, they will feel more connected to Agatha, Violet, and the queen.

How Violet Knew About Lady Danbury’s Affair With Her Father

Violet Discovered A Paper Crown

During Bridgerton season 3, Agatha and Violet quietly admit that they both know about Agatha’s affair with Lord Ledger. They don’t get into the details, but seem to be on the same page. If Agatha can have a positive relationship with Violet’s father, Violet can have a Bridgerton romance with Marcus. Ultimately, this conversation glosses over how exactly Violet found out about Agatha’s romance, but there is one hint: the paper crown. When Lord Ledger’s paper crown comes into view, it is a reminder of how Violet discovered Agatha’s entanglement with her father in Queen Charlotte.

Violet ended up learning of Agatha’s affair during Queen Charlotte’s present-day storyline. Decades after the relationship, Violet finds one of her father’s paper crowns in Agatha’s room. Pairing this with everything Agatha told her about romance and love, she figures out that Agatha had an entanglement with her father. The scene in Bridgerton season 3 is so great because the two finally acknowledge it. Though Violet realizes the truth in Queen Charlotte, it isn’t until Bridgerton season 3 that the women are truthful with each other. They come to terms with the situation and move on as friends.

Every Bridgerton Book In Order
Which Bridgerton It Follows

The Duke and I
Daphne

The Viscount Who Loved Me
Anthony

An Offer From a Gentleman
Benedict

Romancing Mister Bridgerton
Colin

When He Was Wicked
Francesca

It’s In His Kiss
Hyacinth

On the Way to the Wedding
Gregory

The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After
All

Lady Danbury’s Affair Can Only Be Seen In Queen Charlotte

Queen Charlotte Shows What Bridgerton Cannot

Bridgerton season 3 may bring Agatha and Violet’s relationship full circle, but the main series cannot dive deep into these stories like Queen Charlotte did. To get the full picture of Lady Danbury’s past, it isvital to watch Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. This is especially true when it comes to Agatha’s bond with Lord Ledger. Bridgerton season 3 provides very little by way of explaining their relationship. However, Queen Charlotte gets up close and personal. Audiences can see the affair take place in real time. Despite the complications it causes, Agatha and Ledger’s romance is an enjoyable one.

Shonda Rhimes told Variety that, in regard to Queen Charlotte season 2, she ” does not want to tell a story that doesn’t need to be told .”

Overall, this is what makes Lady Danbury and Violet’s conversation in season 3 so smart. There is incredible satisfaction in seeing Agatha and Violet overcome this years-long secret, but the scene also urges those who haven’t watched Queen Charlotte to give it a try. Queen Charlotte may be a spinoff, but Bridgerton has now proven that it is just as integral as any regular season of the period drama. There are stories and scenes that can only be seen via Queen Charlotte. After Bridgerton season 3, there is hope that the franchise will continue referencing Queen Charlotte in the future.

Why Lady Danbury Hated Her Brother Makes Less Sense Without Queen Charlotte

Queen Charlotte Provides A Connection

Although Lady Danbury and Marcus’ Bridgerton season 3 story had much more context than Violet’s did, Queen Charlotte is still vital to understanding the situation. To Bridgerton viewers, Lady Danbury’s grudge against Marcus may seem like a harsh overreaction. It was so many years ago, and he was just a child. However, the reality of the situation is laid out perfectly in Queen Charlotte. In the spinoff, audiences see the miserable existence Agatha lived while married to Lord Danbury. In this context, Agatha’s grudge makes way more sense. Queen Charlotte helps connect the present with the past.

In the end, Bridgerton season 3 has confirmed that Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story was not just a one-off series. The stories of Queen Charlotte’s cast could continue to come up with each new Bridgerton season. Violet, Charlotte, and Brimsley could each have their history brought back up. Therefore, if Bridgerton continues alluding to Queen Charlotte, viewers have much more of a reason to watch the spinoff. Bridgerton is on its way to creating a larger television universe, and if more spinoffs are on the way, then watching all of them may be necessary.