Fact or Fiction: The Truth Behind Queen Charlotte's Mixed-Race Heritage

Bridgerton and its prequel spinoff, Queen Charlotte, are not historical documentaries. While both shows draw inspiration from actual historical events and figures, they remain works of fiction, unbound by claims of historical accuracy.

As such, Shonda Rhimes and the show's creators are fully entitled to employ a multiracial cast, making it possible for non-white viewers to have characters on the show that they can more easily relate to.

However, while this point is generally unquestioned for most characters, it has become somewhat contentious for the heritage of the spinoff's eponymous character, Queen Charlotte. In the show, she becomes the first person of colour to serve as a royal family member. Yet, some historians suggest this may not be entirely fictional, proposing that Charlotte may have been the first mixed-race royal long before Meghan Markle. So, could this be true?

As revealed in the series, Augusta, Princess of Wales, and mother to King Charles III, expresses concern about her future daughter-in-law's lineage. A servant informs Augusta of her Moorish descent.

The term 'moor' was used by mediaeval Europeans to describe Northwest African Muslims residing in North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, and the Mediterranean islands. Although initially referring to black people, it later evolved into a catch-all term for all non-whites and non-Christians.

Mario de Valdes y Cocom, an independent researcher of black history, traced the queen's genealogy back to the 13th century. Charlotte, he suggests, descended from one of the lineages of King Alfonso III of Portugal and his mistress, Madragana. According to the sources Valdes examined, Madragana was a Moor or Mozarab. While neither term is directly linked to ethnicity, Valdes concluded that Madragana was black.

'Although she is chronologically distant from Afonso III and his mistress, there is a surprising genealogical proximity between the two women, with six lines of descent linking them,' Valdes writes.

While many historians dispute his conclusions, if the theory were to be verified (for instance, through future DNA testing), it would dramatically alter our perception of both the British royal family and European monarchy as a whole. It's commendable that the creators of Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte have seized this opportunity, fostering greater representation of non-white characters in their shows.

Source: Vogue.