Bridgerton: The True Story Of King George's Illness

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Netflix's Bridgerton season 2 sees Queen Charlotte deal with her husband's mysterious condition in more detail, but what exactly was the true story behind King George III's illness? First released on March 25th, 2022, Bridgerton season 2 debuted on Netflix to another record-breaking premiere, with Netflix and Shondaland subsequently announcing Queen Charlotte will get her own spin-off. Yet despite Bridgerton's rampant success and ever-burgeoning canon, little has been explained about her oft-absent husband, King George (James Fleet).

Set in the early 1800s, Bridgerton exists in a fictionalized Victorian-era England under the rule of King George III and his wife, Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel). Appearing in only three Bridgerton episodes to date, the king is first seen in season 1, episode 5, at dinner with the Queen. During their conversation, it becomes clear that the king has forgotten their daughter’s death and blames his wife for the tragedy. Then, in Bridgerton season 2, the king interrupts the queen during a meeting with the Sharmas, dressed in only his bedclothes while insistent on the idea that it is his and the queen’s wedding day.

Related: Bridgerton True Story: What Happened To Queen Charlotte's 15 Children?

Infamously known as the "king who lost America” (the same King George from Hamilton), King George’s illness in Bridgerton is based on a true story. There is, however, much speculation surrounding his exact diagnosis to date, with changes to King George's established life story being made as recently as 2010. Previously thought to have suffered from the condition known as Porphyria, researchers now believe King George III may have had bipolar disorder — although this hypothesis also remains up for