Charlotte’s honeymoon period begins without her husband, and it doesn’t take long for her to seek his company. In Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story season 1 episode 2, while she and George continue to misunderstand each other, another couple suffers relationship troubles as well.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Season 1 Episode 2 recap – Complicated Love

Charlotte’s first day as a married woman does not go as planned. After a highly scheduled, yet boring, day of dressing and undressing, eating alone, and seeking a book to read, she goes to bed distraught and angered.

It doesn’t take her long to seek comfort and company, calling forth Lady Danbury. Although this is against the rules, as she is on her honeymoon, Lady Danbury arrives in secret and the two become quite candid with each other.

Lady Danbury is surprised to learn how little Charlotte knows of sex, let alone the fact she and George did not do the martial act. But she has her own issues at home, as her husband constantly seeks sex from her, in response from his constant denial from joining the hunt by men of high social status.

What Charlotte is not aware of, is that George’s mother has been trying to find out if her son and daughter-in-law consummated their marriage. After another lonely day Charlotte decides to seek George, fearing he’d be visiting brothels.

But no, he’s been hiding in his observatory, observing space and the planets. Upon her arrival he is not slightly bothered nor confused, by why she is so angry with him.

Charlotte attempts to speak her mind, trying to make him understand but George seems completely clueless. During their argument, Brimsley and George’s servant use the time to be intimate with each other.

The two wind up suffering the blunt of the situation from George’s mother, having to lie about Charlotte and George’s relationship. They attempt to ease the sadness Charlotte is going through by convincing George to give her a gift.

The gift is a tiny Pomeranian whom Charlotte immediately distastes. But as Charlotte prepares for another evening alone, George is already waiting at the dinner table.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Season 1 Episode 2 recap – King George’s Secret

George does not explain why he’s had a sudden change of heart but he’s there to spend time with her. Charlotte, beyond upset at his constant unpredictability, argues with him for a while.

But it doesn’t take long for his charm to soothe her. Before we know it, the two are living in Kensington Palace together and spend their first night as true husband and wife.

At the same time, Brimsley and his lover do the same, hoping that the royal couple can finally be together. In tune with the good news, Lord and Lady Danbury are granted a beautiful estate and land thanks to George’s mother.

In exchange for the lifestyle the couple truly deserves, Lady Danbury in secret, agreed to tell George’s mother everything she and Charlotte discuss in private. But the happy times don’t last long for the royal couple.

The morning after a truly blissful night as husband and wife, Charlotte seeks her husband so they could have breakfast together. However, she overhears his discussion with his mother in another room.

As she’s practically berating him about having consummated the marriage, George loses his temper and practically says, without saying, that he did what he had to do for duty. Because he doesn’t outright say that he loves Charlotte, she believes he sees their marriage as merely responsibility.

What Charlotte doesn’t see is that after George’s mother leaves, he begins to violently shake and panic. He asks for his doctor and for Charlotte to never know about his secret.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Season 1 Episode 2 recap – Present day

Queen Charlotte speaks with her sons about the issue at hand. Those who are married do not even seek their wives, while others claim to be in love with women who are already married.

Most of the women they want, do not meet Queen Charlotte’s standards as they are a royal family with a royal bloodline. Frustrated with them she meets with Lady Danbury and Violet Bridgerton, seeking their advice and help.

Violet, being the ever-optimistic type, tries to explain how marriage doesn’t have to be rotten and painful but beautiful and pleasant. Lady Danbury doesn’t necessarily agree.

However, Queen Charlotte misinterprets Violet’s advice, immediately believing she’ll need to set up her sons with an arranged marriage first, then they can have children, and finally make time to fall in love.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Season 1 Episode 2 review

Watching Charlotte fight a winless battle was painful but revealed so much of her vulnerabilities. She’s very strong minded and brave but at the end of the day, she’s a woman who can only be allowed to do so much.

Even with her freedoms, the only thing she desires is spending time with her husband. It has become apparent that George is absolutely showing signs of his illness.

Even his own mother dances around the subject. What it is, the show hasn’t quite revealed enough to really narrow it down.

At least not yet. It does seem as though George is trying to make an effort to be a good husband by living with Charlotte, even though it will be harder for him to hide his illness from her.

It’s sad that even Brimsley doesn’t know the full story, nor will his lover tell him. When the truth does come out, who in the palace will find out?

As much as George’s mother is trying to protect him, she has to accept that she will not be around forever. Charlotte will need to be there for him, which will prove to be a bigger challenge than she expected.

Lady Danbury is in an equally troubling situation herself, as she longs for peace from her husband but wants to make him happy at the same time. She genuinely enjoys being a friend to Charlotte, but will she also have to, technically, betray her by reporting back to George’s mother?

Will Charlotte and George’s mother butt heads over George? It will be interesting to see what occurs next as the royal honeymoon is far from over.