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When it comes to good, old-fashioned escapism, you could do much worse than Bridgerton. The Netflix hit series offers up an alternate version of history where racism doesn’t exist, and we get to spend all our time watching very sexy people do very sexy things. Turns out, that is something that the characters feel as well, with the actor who plays Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton Season 4 confirming that the whole thing is a bit of a distraction for the monarch.

During an interview with Digital Spy, Golda Rosheuvel revealed that much of what Queen Charlotte does in Bridgerton Season 4 is meant to help distract her from the chaos in her life. “She comes into [Bridgerton Season 4] thinking that she has a lovely new toy in Whistledown, that they’re going to be best mates and she’s going to be able to control the gossip. And then she’s wrong-footed by Danbury asking to leave.”

Lady Danbury’s impending departure came at the end of Season 3 and clearly has big repercussions for Queen Charlotte in Bridgerton Season 4. “I think there’s a desperation for her to entertain herself [in the marriage matches]. A desperation to not interact with real life because real life is her best friend leaving her. Real life is her husband not being very well. So I think she immerses herself in this other stuff to separate herself from her real life.”

To be fair, we understand Queen Charlotte’s instinct to distract herself when things seem to be going wrong. After all, real life is a bit, shall we say, unsettled for many fans at the moment, so maybe Bridgerton Season 4 will be exactly the distraction we all need.

Whether its the bane of your existence or the object of all your desires (or both), Bridgerton is back. Read all our spoiler-y thoughts on Bridgerton season 3 here, and then delight at a guide to how to watch all of Bridgerton (and the spinoff), how to read the Bridgerton books (all 16 of them!), an our exclusive interview with the show's costume designer John Glaser, as well as some recommended reads for all Bridgerton fans.