Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story season 1, episode 5 recap: Gardens in Bloom

It’s time for Charlotte to take back control and truly prove herself as queen. In Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story season 1 episode 5 “Gardens in Bloom”, Charlotte suffers in her loneliness but not for long.

Meanwhile, Lady Danbury is dealing with the reality that she could lose everything but finds someone to confide in, in more ways than one. Will Charlotte free her husband from Dr. Monro’s horrific treatments?

Let’s find out!

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Season 1 Episode 5 recap – Charlotte takes back control

George’s cruel treatments continue without Charlotte’s knowledge. She writes to him, practically daily, but he’s never allowed to read any of the letters per Dr. Monro’s orders.

Dr. Monro has been making George’s treatments continually worse to the point many are starting to whisper about it. This is continuing to drive a wedge between the young couple, as Charlotte is now going through her pregnancy essentially alone.

If that isn’t enough, although Charlotte is queen, George’s mother dictates almost everything at the palace for her. Even going as far as suggesting her skin color be pale in the palace portrait…I really had no words after that one.

Charlotte simply takes it, doesn’t fight, because in that moment, why bother? She’s alone, no one is in her corner.

Well, except Brimsley but even he is powerless and can only do so much for her. Her distressing, practical depression, worries Brimsley to the point he tries endlessly to reason with Reynolds.

But Renyolds refuses to reveal anything, remaining dutiful to George, even though Dr. Monro’s actions break his heart too. At one point it looked as though he was going to break in and free the king but it unfortunately doesn’t go anywhere.

Brimsley reads one of Charlotte’s letters that is being sent to her brother Alphonsus, detailing how she wants to go home. Alphonsus does arrive to England but does not allow his sister to leave, especially now that she is pregnant with the heir to the British Empire.

He reveals how her marriage has placed Germany under protection of England, as the two are now in an alliance. At this point, almost nothing surprises her anymore as she’s felt used since she first arrived.

All the same Alphonsus can tell something is amiss, but she won’t admit to George’s behavior. Feeling her lowest, Charlotte leaves the palace undetected and flees to Lady Danbury’s home.

She wishes to remain there but even Lady Danbury knows she cannot. The two have their first honest conversation where Lady Danbury confesses to using Charlotte for her own gain.

But now she wants them to be true friends and not for the benefits that could come along the way. Charlotte agrees.

It is this conversation and her brother’s prior, that make Charlotte realize she is the queen, she can do as she wants. She demands to see George and discovers the ungodly treatment he’s been going through.

She saves her husband and throws Dr. Monro out of the palace, deeming that she rather he be mad and happy than cured and miserable.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Season 1 Episode 5 recap – Lady Danbury’s state of affairs

Lady Danbury’s situation has its pros and cons; however, the cons are worse than expected. Now that she’s a widow and free from her much older husband, she feels conflicted.

She’s happy to be free, as she was molded to like and dislike everything like her future husband. But she does feel bad for his passing.

It’s not long before her family arrives, asking about what happens to them now that her husband has passed. As they are the first of their people to receive those titles, can all of it be taken away?

Lady Danbury doesn’t think much of it at first, until she realizes her husband didn’t leave a will or any instructions about what to do after his death. She sends for help however, the situation is far worse than expected.

It turns out her husband’s fortune was spent on keeping the lavish lifestyle George’s mother had gifted them. Lady Danbury could lose her title and everything with it, if everything isn’t handed down to her son, Dominic.

She could remarry but she had just found her freedom. She decides to see George’s mother with her son in tow.

However, the situation is awkward as her son sees his nanny as more of his mother than her. All the same, they dress their best and present themselves to George’s mother.

Although George’s mother wants to address Domenic as Lord Danbury, she is told not to just yet. The matters of Lord Danbury’s death need to be discussed further.

No doubt this means they want to see how Charlotte and George’s marriage goes, including whether or not a heir is conceived. Although Lady Danbury’s situation remains unknown, she instills confidence and insight into her young son.

She does find solace one day, as she takes a walk and rests at a nearby abandoned old shack. Turns out she’s on Lord Ledger’s property and soon the two begin to connect over their feelings about their spouses.

Not surprisingly, Lord Ledger is unhappy with his marriage. Trouble is that after one meeting the two almost kiss, which leads Lady Danbury to feeling conflicted.

However, that doesn’t stop her and Lord Ledger from beginning a steamy affair after he comes by one day with one of the paper crowns. These are the same paper crown his daughter Violet would later make for her husband every birthday.

Honestly, Lady Danbury and Lord Ledger AKA: Violet’s father, having an affair was not on my Bingo card for this spinoff.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Season 1 Episode 5 recap – Present Day

As Lady Danbury and Violet Bridgerton enjoy an opera, they notice Queen Charlotte sitting in a balcony on the other side of the room. Violet ponders about how lonely the queen must be and wonders if she’s slept with anyone aside from her husband.

What they do not know is that Charlotte is successful in arranging two of her son’s marriages. Although they try, and trust me they do, to overrule their mother, even by bringing in their brother whose orders overrules the queen’s, they sons still fail.

But on the day of their double wedding, Charlotte calms one of her son’s nerves about love and marriage. Her kindness and warm words reassure him that all will be well.

Even if it takes a little time. The notion that the queen could see bedding another seems to haunt Violet herself, as she’s been feeling more sexually depraved than ever but feels extreme guilt for it. She confides in Lady Danbury, describing her intense feelings as her garden being in bloom.

Lady Danbury completely understands and assures her that it is normal if she desires men to satisfy her cravings. Her desires do not mean her husband meant nothing or that she needs to move on from him.

What Lady Danbury doesn’t tell her, is about the affair she had with her father. The affair provides warm and reassuring memories for Lady Danbury, as she revisits the barely stable old shack, as well as her old room where she had slept with Lord Ledger.

The episode ends with her searching through all of her belongings for the paper crown he had made her. She finds it and smiles.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story Season 1 Episode 5 review

Honestly Lady Danbury and Lord Ledger’s affair has surprised me the absolute most in this spinoff thus far. I had an inkling he liked her, as his interactions with her at the Danbury Ball weren’t subtle.

At the same time, I still did not expect them to have an affair. How long does this last?

Does anyone find out? I was dreading the episode would end before George is freed from Dr. Monro.

Thankfully that conclusion to this episode means the season finale will hopefully be a drama free, heartfelt one. I was hoping to see Reynolds finally reveal everything to Brimsley and then the two would work together with Charlotte on busting George out.

But all the same, it was Charlotte who had to be the one to free her husband. Hopefully from this point onward, it can be just the two of them without outside commentary, which includes George’s mother.

The performances by the cast, especially the leads, continue to exceed all expectations and tell a true story that will not be forgotten. Crossing my fingers for them to receive every award nomination possible!

As much as it saddens me to know there is only one episode left, I truly need to know how this tale ends.

What did you think of Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story season 1, episode 5? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

You can watch Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story season 1 on Netflix.