Queen Charlotte rises to power (unwillingly) in new trailer for Bridgerton prequel

Gentle reader, it is nearly time to introduce a new generation of Bridgerton—and by that we mean an old generation. The Queen Charlotte trailer is here, and with it the younger versions of Her Royal Highness, Lady Agatha Danbury, and King George. The upcoming Netflix series, premiering on May 4, promises all the riveting romance Bridgerton typically has to offer, with some extra political intrigue built in.

Of course, a young woman’s place in the political machinations of the royal court is typically maternal. “You will make lots of babies,” Princess Augusta (Michelle Fairley) tells young Charlotte (India Amarteifio). “As many babies as possible for my son.” Well, making babies for the King of England isn’t exactly the life that Charlotte aspires to (which explains why he catches her trying to escape over the garden wall).

But being a baby-maker isn’t the only reason Charlotte has been chosen as a bride for George (Corey Mylchreest). In reference to the more diverse English aristocracy of the Bridgerton universe, the new queen seems to have been selected because “It is time we were united as a society,” as Augusta puts it. “Be careful. You are the first of your kind,” warns her lady-in-waiting Agatha (Arsema Thomas). “You must secure your position.”

The first position for Charlotte to secure is as a partner to the king, but he’s keeping major secrets even while he attempts to woo her. Carrying all the pressure of their tenuous alliance, Charlotte does her best to bring the man up to scratch. “I want to fight with you,” she tells him passionately. “Fight with me. Fight for me.”

Bridgerton stars Golda Rosheuvel, Adjoa Andoh, and Ruth Gemmell are also on board for the series, as well as newcomers Sam Clemmett (The War Below), Freddie Dennis (The Nevers), Richard Cunningham (The Witcher), Tunji Kasim (Nancy Drew), Rob Maloney (Casualty), and Cyril Nri (Cucumber). Shonda Rhimes herself serves as showrunner for the series (she’s solely an executive producer on the flagship show), executive producing alongside longtime partner Betsy Beers and director Tom Verica. Below, check out some more first-look images to whet your appetite for more royal scandal.