Cut Queen Charlotte Scene Reveals What Really Happened to Reynolds & Brimsley

There is scarcely a Bridgerton universe enthusiast who hasn't eagerly consumed Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. While most viewers relish this alternative journey through 18th-century London, certain storylines have left a few questions unanswered.

Surprisingly, the narrative that has proven to be the most bewildering and emotionally charged for many fans isn't the central romance between young Charlotte and George but a tangential love arc between two royal footmen, Brimsley and Reynolds.

Brimsley and Reynolds represent the first LGBTQ+ characters in the Bridgerton universe, aside from Henry Granville. Following Granville's revelation of queer love to Benedict Bridgerton in Season 1 of the original series, many fans were hopeful for a compelling secondary romance between queer characters, if not a primary relationship. Brimsley and Reynolds did not disappoint.

Their interactions were intense, their chemistry palpable, their intimate scenes passionate, their conversations tender, and their relationship promising. Among the other couples in Queen Charlotte, Brimsley and Reynolds appeared to have the best prospects for happiness.

However, in the final episode, something went awry, leaving perplexed viewers watching an older Brimsley dancing alone to I Will Always Love You in the very spot where he had danced with Reynolds years prior.

To the fans' disappointment, the spinoff did not provide a definitive explanation regarding what happened to Reynolds or why Brimsley is alone in the present day of the Bridgerton universe. Many theorised that George's footman had either passed away or devoted his life to the King, who undoubtedly required increasing attention over the years. However, it turns out that the original plan was even more heart-breaking than that.

Hugh Sachs, who portrayed the older Brimsley in both the prequel and original series, revealed to Vulture that a deleted scene would have made the fate of the first Bridgerton universe LGBTQ+ romance much clearer than what fans were left to infer.

'I was going to meet the older Reynolds,' Sachs disclosed. 'He was the love of his life, and for whatever reason, they could not stay together. So, when they would pass each other in the passageway in the deleted scene, it wasn’t a toxic moment.'

Sachs further explained that societal homophobia was likely why the two characters couldn't remain together.

'Because of the world they inhabited, it was still a hangable offence to be gay, and it was just not possible,' he said.

This revelation is even more distressing than the duty-over-love trope. However, at least we now know that Reynolds is most likely alive, and there is an intriguing possibility of encountering his older version in future seasons of Bridgerton.

Source: Vulture.