Who is Jacqueline Avant, a Person Queen Charlotte Dedicated an Episode to?

The debut episode of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story ends with the words: 'In memory of Jaqueline Avant'

So, who was she and how is she connected to it all?

Besides being a lover of the arts, a philanthropist, a trusted community leader, and a beloved friend, Jacqueline Avant was a massive fan of the real Queen Charlotte and is the reason the series came to be.

She was born Jaqueline Alberta Gray, in 1940 and grew up in Queens, New York. She worked as a teacher and guidance counselor and in 1967 married Clarence Avant also known as 'The Black Godfather,' an American music executive, entrepreneur, and film producer.

Jaqueline was passionate about helping people, she did work across Los Angeles and in Black communities and was president of the Neighbourhood of Watts, which organized benefits to raise money for charity. She was a founding member of the Women of Color Foundation, which provides scholarships to African American women and was involved in many other efforts to better the world.

Jacqueline had two children, one of them is married to Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who, together with Jacqueline's influence, played a crucial role in bringing the Queen Charlotte series to existence.

Jacqueline wanted a Queen Charlotte series more than anything.

Ted fondly remembers his mother-in-law's unwavering determination to see Queen Charlotte featured in a Netflix production. She wasn't satisfied with her being just a feature on Bridgeton, she wanted to see her favorite historical character leading her show.

Jaqueline lent Ted some of her treasured books and handwritten letters belonging to the real Queen Charlotte; she had amassed a dedicated collection over the years. Initially, he took them just to appease her, but once he started reading them, he realized how much potential the story had, and called Shonda Rhimes.

Sadly, after all of her passion and persistence, Jaqueline never got to see Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story because she was tragically killed during a home invasion in December of 2021. She was 81 years old.

Her death was met with waves of heartbreak, as those close to her remembered her as kind and generous. She was mentioned fondly by the likes of Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Viola Davis and Tyler Perry, all describing her kindness, determination and grace.

Leading up to the release of the Queen Charlotte series, Ted Sarandos shared a picture of one of the Queen's real letters, and started with the caption:

'The story of a queen, inspired by a queen.'

And went on to pay tribute to his late mother-in-law, who sadly would never see her vision come to life.

'I love that Jacquie and I shared that special moment and it led to the creation of something really magical. Thank You Shonda. Thank You, Jacquie.'

Source: Instagram.