‘Bridgerton’s Charithra Chandran Explains How Queen Charlotte Helped Edwina Say No to Kate and Anthony

Bridgerton Season 2 Episode 6 is called “The Choice.” At first glance, that title appears to allude to Anthony Bridgerton’s (Jonathan Bailey) decision to marry Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran) and not his true love, her sister Kate (Simone Ashley). However by the end of the episode, the character who makes the truly monumental choice is none other than Edwina herself. The young woman has to decide between what she selfishly wants — to be the Viscountess — and what she feels she deserves, which is true love. According to Bridgerton star Charithra Chandran, Edwina makes her choice after being emboldened by none other than her new bestie, Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel).

Bridgerton Season 2 put strain on many of our favorite Season 1 friendships — Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Eloise (Claudia Jessie), Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell), Benedict (Luke Thompson) and bi-curiousity — but at least it gave us new besties Charlotte and Edwina. When Queen Charlotte initially crowns Edwina as her Diamond, it’s purely political. She wants to undermine Lady Whistledown and hunt for the gossip rag’s author at the same time. However, by Bridgerton Season 2 Episode 6, the two women have forged an unlikely friendship. Once Edwina realizes Anthony is actually in love with Kate, she has to decide whether or not she wants to go through with her lavish dream wedding. It is only when Edwina sees the tenderness between Charlotte and the “mad” King George IV that she understands what she really wants.

“For me, the scene where the Queen is chatting to Lady Danbury and Lady Bridgerton and then Mary (Shelley Conn) and Edwina walk in, in my head, Edwina was about to say the wedding will continue, I will marry Anthony,” Chandran told Decider, revealing that Edwina would do her duty as Diamond and power through her heartache. However, that all changes when King George enters the room and Edwina politely calms his nerves down. The Queen responds to Edwina’s kindness with generosity of her own.

“The Queen saying, ‘I’m taking this obligation off of you. I am not gonna force you or tell you what to do…’ Essentially, the Queen goes, ‘I got you.’ And that gives Edwina the freedom to be like, ‘I’m not gonna be manipulated by Kate and Anthony anymore. I’m not gonna be their victim, I’m gonna take control of my own life.’ And that’s what she does,” Chandran said.

“I never wanted it to be a kind of mother/daughter scene or teacher/student scene,” Golda Rosheuvel said, when Decider asked about that exact same scene. “I wanted us both to be senseis. I wanted us both to have knowledge and both of us learn from each other as women.”

“Queen Charlotte says something about, ‘My diamond will need to do more than just sparkle,'” Rosheuvel said, referring to a moment early in Bridgerton Season 2. “I think there is definitely two sides to that. [There’s] the side where I use the diamond for Whistledown. I think the other sparkle happens in that moment with the King where Edwina definitely comes into her own and sparkles in her own way for her own journey and her own self.”

“I think the Queen sees that sparkle, that second layer of sparkle that Edwina has when she’s brave and courageous to speak to the King and calm him from his confusion,” Rosheuvel said.

And it’s Edwina’s sparkle that gives her the courage to confront her sister and would-be husband to explain that she deserves more than what they plotted for her. She deserves true love and she won’t settle for anything else.

Ultimately it is Edwina who paves the way for everyone’s happy ending by denying herself her royal wedding to Viscount Bridgerton.

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