Bridgerton season two filming is well underway, having recently announced the casting for the new lead, Simone Ashley. However, shooting has suffered a setback as councillors have refused permission to build a planned film set in Windsor for the show.
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Producers had wanted to build a set on Crown Estate land in Sunninghill Park for over a five-year period, and received royal approval but the planning permission was ultimately rejected by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead council, who called it "inappropriate development of the green belt".
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According to the BBC, Patrick Griffin of CPRE Berkshire said it would be "demonstrably out of character with the area" and be an "encroachment into the countryside". Councillor Andrew Johnson disagreed, saying: "The clear economic benefits of this application more than outweigh any short term potential harm to the greenbelt." However, the majority voted in favour of not allowing the set building to take place.
Bridgerton bosses recently announced a planned spin-off following the massive success of the show, which was released over Christmas 2020. The untitled prequel will delve into the early years of the iconic queen's reign and give viewers a glimpse into Lady Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury's backstories too.
The council voted against the set being built
Netflix confirmed the exciting news on Twitter, writing: "All Hail The Queen! Thrilled to announce we're expanding the Bridgerton universe with a limited series that will tell Queen Charlotte's origin story — the series will also feature young Violet Bridgerton and young Lady Danbury."
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The streaming service's global head of TV, Bela Bajaria, opened up further about what fans can expect from the new series in a statement that read: "Many viewers had never known the story of Queen Charlotte before Bridgerton brought her to the world, and I'm thrilled this new series will further expand her story and the world of Bridgerton.
"Shonda and her team are thoughtfully building out the Bridgerton universe so they can keep delivering for the fans with the same quality and style they love. And by planning and prepping all the upcoming seasons now, we also hope to keep up a pace that will keep even the most insatiable viewers totally fulfilled."
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