Queen Elizabeth once affected the filming of the Netflix royal drama series Bridgerton, it has been revealed.
The period drama, which debuted its first season on the streaming platform on Christmas Day, had shot many of its scenes at the Lancaster House in London, which is owned by Queen Elizabeth. But in one particular instance, Bridgerton creator Chris Van Dusen said that they had to rush production as Her Majesty "needed the space."
Van Dusen did not elaborate on why Queen Elizabeth needed the space but the Commonwealth Office is found in the Lancaster House. The monarch is also the head of the Commonwealth.
The particular scene that was rushed during production involved Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and the Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset (Rege-Jean Page) who had an audience with Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel). The pair was seeking permission from Her Majesty to obtain a marriage license and to win her favour. Incidentally, Queen Elizabeth is related to the real Queen Charlotte who married her great-great grandfather in early 1800s.
Bridgerton filmed around London in 2019 and finished production before the pandemic lockdown. The cast and crew will likely be back at Lancaster House for season 2 since Netflix recently confirmed that the show has been renewed.
According to Deadline, the period drama will likely resume work in the spring of 2021 with new cast additions. Bridgerton season 2 will focus on the story of the eldest sibling, Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), based on Julia Quinn's book The Viscount Who Loved Me.
The show has been actively casting new faces as Anthony will have a new love interest in season 2. However, Van Dusen said that the Duke and Duchess of Hastings will still be part of the next chapter.
Meanwhile, among the real members of the royal family, only Sarah Ferguson has publicly stated that she has seen the show two times. The Duchess of York also expressed excitement for Bridgerton season 2 since she heard that there will be scenes shot at Sunninghill Park, where she grew up.
Speaking with Us Weekly, Sarah admitted that she is obsessed with the period drama and she loves the lead female character, Daphne, the most because she uses her strong voice. The Duchess of York is also impressed with Bridgerton's costumes and set design that she's inspired to turn her upcoming book, Her Heart for a Compass, into a TV show one day.
The first season of Bridgerton is streaming on Netflix with eight episodes.
