Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ is a prequel to ‘Bridgerton,’ which follows the romance of different Bridgerton siblings. In this show, we are taken back to the beginning of Queen Charlotte’s reign, which also allows us a look into the lives of Lady Danbury and Violet Bridgerton. The challenges and struggles for the queen are very different than what her subjects, like Lady Danbury, have to go through. Unlike Charlotte, who enjoys the love and affection of her husband, whom she adores equally, Lady Danbury is caught in a loveless marriage. Does this mean that she would kill her husband to escape it? Let’s find out. SPOILERS AHEAD
Lady Danbury Didn’t Kill Her Husband
No, Lady Danbury did not kill her husband in ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.’ Lord Danbury was much older than his wife and had the health problems that surface with old age. He dies due to a heart attack while having sex with his wife. This is a shock to Lady Danbury but also a relief. So, she doesn’t immediately reveal the news to everyone. She first shares her excitement about the sudden turn of events with her maid and then composes herself to look like she is heartbroken over her husband’s death.
Her happiness immediately after her husband’s death might make it look like she had something to do with his death, but it is not. Lady Danbury had barely anything to gain with her husband’s death and almost everything to lose with him not in the picture anymore. The Danburys didn’t always have the title of Lord and Lady. It was bestowed on them with the arrival of Queen Charlotte to make it look like the society was integrated.
Even when the titles put them on a similar standing to white people who had inherited them through generations, the black members of the ton weren’t immediately welcomed into the social circles. Lady Danbury had to work very hard to earn their place. She made deals with the king’s mother to ensure that her husband and other people of color weren’t discriminated against in the social places that were recently opened to them. She had to fight her way to get the opportunity to host the first ball of the season. If it were a success, it would mark a huge step for the Danburys and set a precedent for others like them.
Lady Danbury knew her husband’s only wish was to have the respect and recognition in society he deserved. He wanted to be treated equally but was kept from it for his entire life because he was black. So, when Queen Charlotte arrived, and he became Lord Danbury, he believed things were finally changing. However, when the ton continued to act as if nothing had changed, he became discouraged. It wasn’t until his wife made their first ball as Lord and Lady Danbury a success that he felt he had finally achieved everything he had worked hard for. It could be that his heart burst with the joy of this achievement or simply that he was too old now, but he suffered a heart attack and died immediately.
Lord Danbury’s death wouldn’t have affected his wife that much if they had been just another member of the nobility. However, having been recently given the titles, Lady Danbury realized that the crown could take it all back with her husband’s death. She and her children would go back to being titleless and incredibly poor because her husband had spent most of their money without telling her about it. Once again, she had to fight for what was right, wondering if her choices would protect her family or destroy it.
While Lady Danbury didn’t love her husband, she knew her survival depended on him. As long as he was alive, she didn’t have to worry about her family’s survival, even if it meant subjecting herself to unpleasant sex every once in a while. Despite how much she loathed him, she stood by her husband every step of the way. She encouraged him to do better and worked behind the scenes to ensure he got his wishes. When he dies, she feels lonesome and grieves in her own way for him. All this suggests that she didn’t hate him enough to kill him and that Lord Danbury died of natural causes.
