Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ is a period drama series that follows the eponymous character and her journey from a young, headstrong girl to the intimidating yet kind queen we see in ‘Bridgerton.’ The prequel series begins with Charlotte being betrothed to King George III and arriving in England, leaving behind everything she knew and loved in her home in Germany at the age of seventeen.
Over six episodes, the story unravels many secrets about the love story of Charlotte and George, especially about his mental health, which was hinted at in the second season of ‘Bridgerton.’ Some familiar faces from the parent series also appear in the show. If you are wondering whether Regé-Jean Page‘s Simon Basset is one of them, here’s what you should know. SPOILERS AHEAD
Simon Basset’s Absence in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
No, Regé-Jean Page’s Simon Basset is not in ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.’ The character first appeared in the first season of ‘Bridgerton’ as the Duke of Hastings, who has sworn never to marry or have children. For this, he makes a deal with Daphne Bridgerton, where they both fake their courtship in public to help her get a suitable match while saving him from the trouble of courting someone else.
The first season of ‘Bridgerton’ premiered to massive success, and Regé-Jean Page became a sensation overnight. Considering how important he had been to the first season’s storyline, fans hoped to see him in the second season as well. However, they were disappointed when the actor revealed he wouldn’t reprise the role. The main reason behind it was that every season of the show focuses on the love story of a different sibling. When the focus shifted to the love life of Anthony Bridgerton, Simon Basset didn’t have much of a part to play.
According to Page, the first season perfectly tied up Simon’s story, so there was no need to go back to it again. “We did so well on that redemptive arc that people forget that Simon was kind of horrific. He was the best example of a Regency f-boy that any of us had come across. And so, because we came around full circle so well, because we stuck that landing, you’re left with this great feeling. You really do have to be brave about ending stories like that,” the actor told Variety.
Elaborating further on the reason behind not returning to the role of Simon Basset, Page told Vanity Fair: “I signed up to do a job, and I did the job, and then I did some other jobs. That’s it. That’s the story. I wish it was more glamorous than that. [After] we finished the story, the temptation would be to roll with the distractions and go, ‘Oh, well, the story went really well, so we can kind of change this up and make some other stuff up, I guess.’ That was never what we’d signed up to do.”
While we don’t see Simon in ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story,’ we are updated about the Basset family. In ‘Queen Charlotte,’ one scene depicts Violet Bridgerton playing with her two grandchildren. This indicates that Simon and Daphne are expanding their family, and things are going great between them. While ‘The Gray Man’ and ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ actor has said goodbye to the character, the possibility of seeing Simon Basset again cannot be scrapped entirely.
Page said that while he won’t be retiring from the role, the show’s creators are free to “do as they like” and recast the role if they wish to. Considering Page’s popularity and how he nailed the part, we don’t see the role being recast. Should there be more to add to Simon’s role, Page might reconsider his decision and make an appearance sometime in the future.
Read More: Is Phoebe Dynevor’s Daphne in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story?
