Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ expands the world of the Regency-era series ‘Bridgerton’ by going into the origins of the formidable and enigmatic queen. It begins with a 17-year-old Charlotte discovering that she has been betrothed to King George III. She wonders why the King of England had to look so far to marry someone like her when there were other prospects with a better social standing. Her doubts make her want to abandon the wedding, but eventually, she warms up to George.
Charlotte discovers that her husband is keeping secrets from her. George keeps himself guarded from everyone else, but one person knows him inside out. It’s his footman, Reynolds. Unlike Queen Charlotte’s footman, Brimsley, Reynolds is a new addition to the world of ‘Bridgerton.’ This might make you wonder why we don’t see his older version in the parent series. He also doesn’t appear in ‘Queen Charlotte’ when the timeline follows the events of ‘Bridgerton’ Season 2. What happened to him? Let’s find out. SPOILERS AHEAD
Reynolds’ Loyalty vs. Love: His Bridgerton Journey
To understand Reynolds’ fate and his absence from ‘Bridgerton,’ we must remember that his fate is tied to King George’s. Reynolds is the king’s trusted footman like Brimsley is to Queen Charlotte. His job is always to accompany the king, staying only five paces behind. Apart from tending to his daily needs, he also ensures the king’s happiness. He is one of the few people aware of George’s mental illness, making him one of the most important people in his inner circle.
It soon becomes evident that Reynolds is deeply loyal to the king and puts his duty above everything else. He even keeps secrets from Brimsley, who he is in love with. To him, serving the king and ensuring his welfare comes above everything, especially at a time when the king doesn’t know what’s best for him. With Brimsley, Reynolds facilitates the conversation between George and Charlotte, helping resolve the tension in their marriage.
When Reynolds sees that George is subjecting himself to inhumane treatment at Dr. Monro’s hands, he helps end it by not keeping the Queen from his location. At the end of the day, Reynolds will always do what’s in the best interest of George and will follow him wherever he goes. This is why he is nowhere to be seen in the later years when the events of ‘Bridgerton’ occur.
While George gets better at the end of ‘Queen Charlotte,’ his condition deteriorates over the years. By the time we enter the ‘Bridgerton’ timeline, George has descended into madness, and his son has taken over the court as regent. He is also removed from society and lives in solitude at his place in Kew, where his observatory is. Meanwhile, Queen Charlotte spends a lot of time in society, keeping an interest in the affairs of the ton. Due to Queen Charlotte’s continued presence in society, Brimsley can always be seen with her. However, because King George rarely appears in society and Reynolds always accompanies him, it is understandable why we never see Reynolds in ‘Bridgerton.’
In ‘Queen Charlotte,’ when the scenes shift to the future timeline, King George appears in just one scene, which is why Reynolds is absent from all those scenes. Because his fate isn’t directly addressed, he might have died before the events of ‘Bridgerton.’ In any case, we believe Reynolds stayed true to his job and remained close and loyal to the King, which, unfortunately, kept him from Brimsley all these years.
Read More: Do Brimsley and Reynolds End Up Together?
