Did You Catch the ‘Bridgerton’ Author’s Cameo in ‘Queen Charlotte’?

Bridgerton author Julia Quinn had a sneaky cameo in Netflix’s latest hit series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Queen Charlotte premiered on May 4, 2023, and is a spinoff/prequel of Netflix’s Bridgerton series. The show is partially a prequel because it alternates between the past and present, with the past following Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) in 1761 and the present following the Queen’s (Golda Rosheuvel) desire to find a new heir after the death of her granddaughter, Princess Charlotte, in 1814. While the series is based on Quinn’s books and characters, Queen Charlotte is an original character from the Bridgerton TV show, and the series isn’t a direct adaptation any of Quinn’s novels.

However, that doesn’t mean that Quinn hasn’t been involved. She collaborated with Queen Charlotte creator Shonda Rhimes to write a new novel, also titled Queen Charlotte. The novel is based on the Netflix series and is set to release on May 9. Meanwhile, Quinn also served as a consultant on the Bridgerton series. Even though she largely left her characters and novel series in the creative hands of Rhimes, she has remained very active and supportive in Bridgerton’s TV universe. Hence, it’s not uncommon for her to also visit the sets of Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte while filming is underway.

As a result, many of her fans have been waiting and anticipating a cameo from her in one of the shows. Now, it has finally happened, with Quinn receiving a cameo in Queen Charlotte.

Where is Julia Quinn in Queen Charlotte?

Quinn appeared in Queen Charlotte in episode 6, “Crown Jewels,” right around the 47-minute mark. Unfortunately, her character doesn’t speak and isn’t identified by name. The shot of her is so brief that it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of cameo, as the camera pans quickly over her sitting next to a boy before moving on. Plus, she’s all dolled up in the clothing of the era, even swapping her typical brunette locks with a light hair color, potentially making it more difficult to spot her. However, some eagle-eyed fans did impressively manage to catch the cameo. Quinn also took to Instagram to confirm her cameo in the show.

This marked Quinn’s first cameo in Bridgerton’s onscreen universe. Suspicions of a potential cameo from her first arose back in 2019 when she visited the set of Bridgerton season 1 and was seen bonding with the actors and even putting on a Regency-style top hat. Even though she didn’t appear in Bridgerton season 1 or 2, there are still two more seasons on the way, meaning she could still make an appearance in that series, as well. Now that she has proven a cameo from her is possible, fans are likely to keep their eyes peeled even more intently for her in Bridgerton seasons 3 and 4.

Cameos from authors in the TV or film adaptations of their books aren’t new. Authors from Stephenie Meyer to Stephen King have popped up in their adaptations before. However, author cameos tend to be the sneakiest, making it a fun Easter egg whenever one is uncovered.

(featured image: Netflix)