Who was Jacqueline Avant? The first episode Queen Charlotte is dedicated to her

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story just dropped on Netflix and if you’re anything like us and can’t get enough of the Regency-era glamour and drama, you’re already watching.

The six-part spin-off series follows the rise of a young Queen Charlotte and her relationship with King George and it is so good.

Episode one of the series, titled "Queen to Be", sees young Charlotte arrive in London to wed the King after being betrothed against her will by her brother. At the end of the episode before the titles roll, a dedication for Jacqueline Avant appears on a black screen. So, who is Jacqueline Avant? Here’s what we know about Jacqueline Avant and her influence on Bridgerton.

Who was Jacquline Avant?

Jacqueline Avant was a philanthropist and activist who was married to music mogul Clarence Avant, also known as ‘the Black godfather’, and mother-in-law to Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos.

Sadly, Jaqueline was shot and killed on 1^st December 2021 by an intruder at a home in Los Angeles, US, and it was her love for Queen Charlotte that inspired the Bridgerton spin-off series.

Series creator, Shonda Rhimes, said in a press release: "I've always been obsessed with Queen Charlotte. She's a fascinating character and I've always been obsessed with Lady Danbury, and Violet, and those people don't always get to get their stories told to the fullest.”

"But what really pushed it was Ted Sarandos, who called me up and said 'My mother-in-law is obsessed with Queen Charlotte. Do you want to do a Queen Charlotte story?' And I immediately said yes. Not just because it was Ted, but because I loved the idea."

On the show’s beginnings, Shona said: “Ted called me, and my brain started humming, and the show was born. So this is a show about Queen Charlotte, but it all started because of another great queen, Jacqueline Avant.”

What a fitting tribute.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is streaming on Netflix now.

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