Golda Rosheuvel, the actor behind Queen Charlotte, indicates her character will navigate a difficult period in the new season. Her Majesty is set to encounter a “powerful” lesson about showing vulnerability . The central conflict comes from a surprising rift with her closest friend, Lady Danbury .
Bridgerton Season 4 releases in two parts on Netflix. Part 1 arrives on January 29, 2026, followed by Part 2 on February 26, 2026. This season focuses on Benedict Bridgerton’s romance with Sophie Baek, but major changes are also brewing for the Queen .
A Royal Friendship Tested
The core of Queen Charlotte’s difficult season stems from her relationship with Lady Danbury. For the first time, these two powerful pillars of the ton find themselves in significant conflict .
The trouble begins when Lady Danbury expresses a desire to leave London to explore her roots in Sierra Leone . Adjoa Andoh, who plays Lady Danbury, explains her character has reached a point where she wants to understand her full identity, a piece of which is missing from her life in England . This decision deeply unsettles the Queen.
Rosheuvel described the Queen’s mindset entering the season: “She comes into the season thinking that she has a lovely new toy in Whistledown, that they’re going to be best mates and she’s going to be able to control the gossip. And then she’s wrong-footed by Danbury asking to leave” .
The Queen reacts from a place of personal fear and loneliness. “The Queen is lonely,” Rosheuvel says. “She needs her best friend by her side. She’s terrified of what the outcome will be for their friendship” . This leads to what the actors have called “juvenile squabbling” as the two strong-willed women clash .
“She says, ‘I’m the Queen, so you have to do what I say,’” says Andoh, recounting the fictional argument. “And Danbury goes, ‘Well, if I have to do what you say, I won’t be your friend’” .
A Queen Hiding From Reality
According to Rosheuvel, the Queen’s increased meddling in the season’s matches and gossip is a form of escape. The actor suggests Charlotte is using her public role to avoid confronting painful private realities.
“I think there’s a desperation for her to entertain herself [in the marriage matches],” Rosheuvel explained. “A desperation to not interact with real life because real life is her best friend leaving her. Real life is her husband not being very well. So I think she immerses herself in this other stuff to separate herself from her real life” .
This context adds a new layer to the Queen’s often imperious and playful demeanor. Her attempts to control the social season and her new partnership with the unmasked Lady Whistledown are portrayed as a distraction from grief and impending loss .
A New Dynamic with Lady Whistledown
Another element complicating the Queen’s season is her direct involvement with Penelope Bridgerton, now publicly known as Lady Whistledown. With the secret out, the Queen sees an opportunity to directly influence the powerful gossip sheet.
However, this new alliance creates problems for Penelope. Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope, stated, “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” .
Official images released for the season show a concerned Queen Charlotte examining a mysterious piece of correspondence with her secretary, Brimsley, looking on curiously . While the letter’s contents are not confirmed, speculation points to it being a Whistledown paper or news that further disrupts the Queen’s plans .
The Actors Behind the Royals
The compelling dynamic between Queen Charlotte and Lady Danbury is powered by the off-screen chemistry between Golda Rosheuvel and Adjoa Andoh. In a interesting piece of trivia, Rosheuvel originally auditioned for the role of Lady Danbury .
Reflecting on their casting, Rosheuvel said, “When I got to know Adjoa is playing Lady Danbury, there was a real excitement because I was like, ‘Oh, good! There’s some really juicy sh*t we can do on screen’” . Andoh echoed the sentiment, noting the show allows them space to develop these characters fully .
Both actors have expressed immense satisfaction with their roles and their collaboration, with Rosheuvel adding, “This relationship on and offscreen, it just is. I couldn’t think of any other people to play these parts” .
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The Main Romance: Benedict and Sophie
While the Queen faces turmoil, the season’s primary love story belongs to Benedict Bridgerton, played by Luke Thompson. After three seasons on the sidelines, the artistic Bridgerton brother finally becomes the romantic lead .
His story follows a Cinderella-inspired arc. He meets a captivating “Lady in Silver” at a masquerade ball but loses her when she flees at midnight . He later crosses paths with Sophie Baek, a maid played by Yerin Ha, not realizing she is the same woman from the ball .
Showrunner Jess Brownell described Benedict’s journey as one of emotional growth: “Benedict’s free-spiritedness is both natural and genuine, but he uses it as a crutch… This season, we’re interested in watching what happens when he finally starts to let people in” .
Yerin Ha clarified that while the story begins with a classic fairytale moment, it quickly becomes its own tale. “For me, the Cinderella bit was actually mainly the masquerade bit and him trying to find her. But then, after that, it veers off into a completely different story” .
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