The new Netflix series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story adapts the real-life story of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, presenting her as a Black woman living in 18th-century England. There have long been rumours about Charlotte's real-life Black ancestry. To understand this complex situation, I sat down with two experts to learn more. ** Content warning: at around 1:33:25, the derogatory racial term "mulatto" is used twice, in a historical context. ** Stacey Morrell is a Ph.D. candidate at Brown University. Stacey works on the western Mediterranean throughout much of the Middle Ages (c.900-1520), with a particular emphasis on the relationship(s) between gender, sexuality, and power. Learn more about Stacey Murrell and her work YouTube video of Stacey's presentation on Madragana (her part is from 1:00:15 to 1:26:46) Follow Stacey on Twitter @theamyrlinseat Dr. Brooke Newman is an Associate Professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a historian of early modern Britain and the British Atlantic, with a current special interest in the history of slavery, the abolition movement, and the British royal family. Learn more about Dr. Newman and her work Follow Dr. Newman on Twitter @DrBrookeNewman -- Support Vulgar History on Patreon -- Vulgar History is an affiliate of Bookshop.org, which means that a small percentage of any books you click through and purchase will come back to Vulgar History as a commission. Use this link to shop there and support Vulgar History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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