The Dream Hotel lobby in the heart of Hollywood is filled with the usual suspects on a Wednesday afternoon: a tourist family with their luggage, a concierge and a casually dressed woman holding something bubbly and probably boozy. Oh, and 12 young women in sparkling crowns and gowns fit for queens — literally.
The eye-catching group is part of the 2022–2023 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) royal court. But tonight the bedazzled dozen is in Los Angeles to honor a different royal: Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’s titular monarch, played by India Amarteifio in the 1700s and Golda Rosheuvel in the Regency era.
Strong Black Lead’s recently released “Hey Queen” bounce remix music video starring Big Freedia celebrates the spirit of HBCU royal culture with some Bridgerton universe flair. In an effort to herald Queen Charlotte’s streaming arrival on May 4, the queens — along with fans, cast, crew and illustrious guests like Alicia Keys — descended on the Regency Village Theatre for the series’ world premiere.
Preparation for the magical evening demanded a lot of sisterhood, a little bit of R&B and one well-placed cell phone.
“Getting ready was a lot of fun for me. I popped from everybody’s rooms,” Nina Giddens, Miss Xavier University of Louisiana, told Tudum. Unsurprisingly, Giddens, who also stars in the Big Freedia video, needed some pump-up music for her big night. She turned to classic R&B quartet Jodeci for support.
“That would do it!” agreed Avionna Burns, Miss North Carolina A&T State University, who sat next to Giddens in the van that delivered the women to the premiere. The school competition that gave Burns her crown was Bridgerton-themed. “So being able to go to this premiere and having the same theme that started my campaign and started my reign has been such a full circle moment — especially being here with my sister queens as well,” she said.
Before hopping into the premiere-bound van, all the queens gathered to finalize their glam and affix their glimmering diadems. Every HBCU chooses their queen differently, Naomi Harris, of Jackson State University, explained; she went through a rigorous pageant and was then elected via student vote. As Harris spoke, a cell phone, set on a just-right angle on the Dream Hotel bar lobby, served as a makeshift mirror for the royalty buzzing around us. Each woman fixed her crown and helped her sisters around her do the same.
“Fixing a crown is basically like stepping into your queendom. I think of being a queen as a switch,” Harris said. “There’s always a light, but it turns on and off. We’re turning our switches on, putting our crowns on, stepping into our roles and embracing being a queen.”
Taverlyn Shepard, Miss Prairie View A&M University, emphasized the importance of sisterhood in crown fixing, both literally and metaphorically. “Don’t be afraid to let your sister fix your crown,” she said. “Sometimes you have a bad day and sometimes a sister queen will fix your crown for you and make sure it’s in the right place, and then make sure you’re OK.” Giddens agreed that her “favorite” part of putting on the crown is “helping other people put theirs on.”
This is a theme Queen Charlotte knows well. The new series follows the rise — and friendship — of two aristocratic women: young Queen Charlotte and Agatha Danbury (Arsema Thomas). The romantic drama also gives glimpses into the relationships of Queen Charlotte, Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) in the Regency era, when they’ve fully come into their power.
“It’s so perfect that I got ready for a show about Black queens with my fellow Black queens,” Giddens said. “I feel like each of us experienced sisterhood especially this weekend.”
Burns was excited to take that sisterhood to the red carpet. “I think it’s an honor to be here and experience our first red carpet together… and be able to celebrate the end of our reigns as well,” she said. When the school year ends this spring, so will this class of queens’ tenure.
But tonight, they have the lights, camera and action of a Los Angeles premiere. “This is my first one,” Nina Rutherford, Miss Benedict College, admitted. “Honestly, it was a little nerve-wracking because we still don’t know what to expect.” The promise of a very special guest set off rampant speculation in the van. Is the celebrity a musician? An actor? Is she pregnant? (No, Rihanna isn’t on the way.)
The queens’ gleeful screams when they spotted the mystery A-lister –– Grammy winner Alicia Keys, who’s remade her hit “If I Ain’t Got You” for the Queen Charlotte soundtrack –– revealed the presence of (fellow) royalty.
“I truly felt like a celebrity, like a queen,” Nailah Williams, Miss Clark Atlanta University, said after walking the carpet. “It made me feel like I was reliving my coronation.”
Enjoy Queen Charlotte’s coronation when it premieres globally on May 4.
