For us, it was more than a love story. We tried not to get too carried away by the lavish balls, beautiful costumes, pop song symphonies, romantic entanglements, passionate bursts, and slow burns scenes. The Netflix prequel series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story serenaded us with an escapist fantasy into Regency-era England. And we loved it! Even more importantly, we loved it because it offered us valuable lessons about money and financial management that can be applied to our modern lives. So, if you haven’t seen it yet (because some of us binged it in one sitting), disclaimer: Spoiler Alert! But here are some of the money lessons we culled.

1. Have those difficult money conversations:
   

   
   Opportunities they say come once in a lifetime. However, the young Lady Danbury seemed to have been presented with more opportunities than one in her Bridgerton-universe lifetime. And she didn’t just cease those opportunities, she grabbed them! In a couple of the scenes, she had very difficult conversations with the King’s mother. But she was better for it because for her, only the end goal mattered. Studies show that money conversations are usually very difficult to have. But, experts say that whether it is having a conversation with your spouse about opening a joint account to tackle household bills, or speaking to your boss about that pay raise, money conversations are necessary to have, to provide clarity and a clearer financial path.

2. Recognize the potential of investments:
   

   
   Queen Charlotte understood the assignment. Her duty as Queen was to make sure she had a ready heir and so she made sure she did, 15 times over. She didn’t just have 15 children because she loved children, in fact she was accused of being an emotionally absent mother. However, she understood the benefits of not ‘putting your eggs in one basket’. This strategy helped reduce the risk of one child failing to produce an heir to carry on the family line. She diversified her ‘investments’ to ensure that the responsibility of producing an heir didn’t rest solely on one child. Investment experts assert that you spread your investments across different assets like bonds, real estate, stocks, to manage risks to maximize returns.

3. Seek financial advice from experts:

Lord Danbury was an amusing character. He had an interesting habit of taking the ‘glory’ for Lady Danbury’s efforts. But that’s not all that caught our attention about him. Apparently, he had made some poor financial decisions that left him, and his family broke after his demise. Sad. Perhaps if he had a financial advisor, they would have helped him avoid pitfalls, and helped him make informed and responsible decisions with his money. For those who are looking to build wealth and secure their financial future, learn from Lord Danbury. Seek the help of financial experts. Queen Charlotte also relies on a network of trusted advisors, including Lady Danbury and the Duke of Hastings, to navigate the intricacies of high society. Similarly, with our personal finances, it’s essential to surround ourselves with knowledgeable professionals who can guide us through complex financial decisions.

4. Seek financial education and independence:

We cannot underestimate the need for financial literacy. Lady Danbury was kept in the dark of all her husband’s poor financial choices. But it didn’t exonerate her from receiving hard debt jabs after his demise. Instead, it made her vulnerable. She inherited the outcome of Lord Danbury’s bad money management decisions. Experts encourage everyone to educate themselves and become financially literate and independent. So even if you end up in a similar quagmire like Lady Danbury, you will be better equipped to make sound financial decisions. Financial literacy will help you set financial goals which would lead to financial well-being, stability, and security for you and those that matter to you. Queen Charlotte also asserts her power and demonstrates financial independence in other Bridgerton prequels, in the absence of the King. So, take charge of your finances by becoming savvy in elementary finance and work your way to financial autonomy.

5. Avoid unnecessary debt:

There are loan companies and then there are loan sharks! Loan sharks are moneylenders who charge extremely high rates of interest, typically under illegal conditions. Now there were no loan sharks in this series, but the way Brimsley followed the young Queen Charlotte everywhere reminded us of loan sharks. There are good debts and there are bad debts. Debts for education, real estate, business, and the likes are good debts. These debts have the potential to generate wealth. Debts to purchase a phone, car, etc., are bad debts. They only generate more debt. So, before you take on any loans, think moderation, because even good debts, when overused, can turn bad.

While Netflix’s Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story may be a fictional tale set in a bygone era, the money lessons we can extract from its characters are timeless. We can apply these lessons to our own lives to build a solid foundation for our financial future and avoid sorrows, more sorrows, and unwarranted prayers. So, if you watch the series again or you are just watching it for the first time, take a moment to reflect on the financial wisdom it can impart. After all, money lessons can come from unexpected places, even from the Bridgerton universe.

Chidera Amuta,

For Vested.