Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is a tale about love and perseverance. The Netflix series follows the relationship between Queen Charlotte and King George, a young couple whose arranged marriage blooms into a steamy romance with an unexpected twist. But lying beneath the surface of the series is a second love story, one that's possibly even more swoon-worthy: the queer romance between their two butlers, Reynolds and Brimsley.
At the end of the series, it appears that all is well in the kingdom. The king and queen are happily married and have produced heirs to the throne. Everything is as it should be, until we see a shot of a much-older Brimsley dancing alone and dreaming of his beau. After watching their love story develop throughout the season, many viewers were left wondering: where the hell is Reynolds?!
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Well, dear reader, don’t panic just yet. His absence doesn’t mean he’s dead. In fact, in an interview with Vulture, Hugh Sachs (who plays the older Brimsely) explained that an older version of Reynolds was included in the original script. “There was a scene that we didn’t film because it was cut, where I was going to meet the older Reynolds,” the actor said. “Reynolds was the love of [Brimsley's] life, and for whatever reason, they could not stay together. So when they would pass each other in the passageway in the deleted scene, it wasn’t a toxic moment.”
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Phew! So if Reynolds isn't dead, why didn’t they end up together? Sachs presumes it was because of the world the characters live in. “It was still a hangable offense to be gay,” he explained, “and it was just not possible.” Without their relationship tying Reynolds to the series, he could be up to just about anything. Maybe he’s living in a different kingdom? Or perhaps he’s married someone else just to get over their relationship?
If you’re hoping Reynolds returns to the show, you’re not alone. Julia Quinn, who wrote the original Bridgerton series and co-wrote the new novel Queen Charlotte with Shonda Rhimes, is also eager to see what’s next for the beloved butler. “I want Reynolds to be a secret duke,” Quinn said to Insider. “He is so duke-y. Especially the way Freddie [Dennis] plays him. I had read the scripts and then I went to the set and I heard Freddie talk. I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. He’s got such a voice.'”
She continued, “Literally, I’ve said that to Shonda so many times. ‘I’m like, Secret duke, secret duke,’ because I didn’t create him, so I don’t get to decide this character as much.” Quinn said she’s “not optimistic” that the duke plot twist will get picked up. But Shonda, if you’re reading this, please consider it! And while you’re at it, can we get a spin-off that just follows Brimsley and Reynolds? After watching their love story blossom, I think we can all agree they deserve a happy ending.
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