In Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, Lord Bute is an aristocrat who serves as one of Princess Augusta’s advisors. Richard Cunningham plays the role of Lord Bute.
While George is the King in Queen Charlotte, it is Princess Augusta who takes all the decisions in his name. Like any other ruler, Princess Augusta also has advisors, and Lord Bute is one of them.
Lord Bute is not just an advisor, he is also a member of the House of Lords, and he is quite influential. He serves as a link between the Parliament and the monarchy, as he informs Princess Augusta of the general mood of the government.
As an advisor
As Lord Bute is a conservative aristocrat, he thinks that they might need to cancel Charlotte and George’s wedding because of the color of Charlotte’s skin.
When Princess Augusta suggests inviting people of color to the wedding and giving them titles, he protests but is eventually forced to accept it, as Princess Augusta claims that this is the King’s choice.
Since he keeps Princess Augusta informed of the Parliament’s activities, he tells her that the House of Lords is calling this the Great Experiment. This has been the talk of the town, so it is essential that the Great Experiment succeeds.
He also reminds her that if George and Charlotte fail to consummate their marriage, the Great Experiment will be hurt. Princess Augusta’s own anxiety about securing the future of the Crown is exacerbated by his constant nagging.
As a member of the House of Lords
Although he is Princess Augusta’s advisor, he also has duties as a member of the House of Lords, so he is not blindly loyal to the royal family.
When Lady Danbury decides to host the first ball of the season and sends out the invitations, Lord Bute pressures her to get Lady Danbury to withdraw the invitations, as it is impacting the functioning of the Parliament.
Lord Bute has to put up with the complaints of the lords whose wives are unhappy because of Lady Danbury’s invitation. He reminds her that if the ton does not attend the ball, the Palace will lose all moral authority and the Great Experiment will fail.
Princess Augusta does not wish to get Lady Danbury to cancel the ball, but Lord Bute gives her no choice. In the end, she has to do as he says.
Similarly, he later stops Princess Augusta from acknowledging Lady Danbury’s son as Lord Danbury, as the laws of succession for people of color are not clear yet. It is not entirely in Princess Augusta’s hands to decide the laws of succession because people like Lord Bute will not approve.
When Charlotte dismisses Dr. Monro, Lord Bute expresses concerns about the King’s health. As Princess Augusta keeps assuring them that everything is fine, he arranges for George to address the Parliament.
George fails to make an appearance, so Charlotte decides to host a ball. Princess Augusta is not informed about the ball beforehand, and Lord Bute is quick to come to the conclusion that she has lost control.
He still warns her that if the King fails to perform his role at the ball, the Parliament will take measures; he had been holding them off from doing so all this while.
George not only makes an appearance at the ball but also performs his part well. This satisfies Lord Bute, as people cannot question George’s ability to rule for the time being.
Also Read: Princess Augusta: Queen Charlotte character explained