Photo courtesy Liam Daniel/Netflix

The world of Bridgerton is about to get bigger and better than ever. While fans are steeling to face a new season without their beloved Duke of Hastings, Netflix is expanding the breakout hit to become its latest franchise. The streaming giant and Shondaland have greenlit a spinoff limited series based on the origin of Queen Charlotte, which Shonda Rhimes will lend her pen to. The as-of-yet untitled offshoot is said to be a prequel focusing on the younger years of Queen Charlotte (played by Golda Rosheuvel) and her rise to the crown although the character is not included in Julia Quinn’s nine-novel literary series on which the show is an adaptation. Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell), the mother of the Bridgerton clan, and Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh), Simon’s closest mother figure, will also have their origin stories featured in the newest series.

“Many viewers had never known the story of Queen Charlotte before Bridgerton brought her to the world, and I’m thrilled this new series will further expand her story and the world of Bridgerton,” Netflix head of global TV Bela Bajaria said in a statement. “Shonda and her team are thoughtfully building out the Bridgerton universe so they can keep delivering for the fans with the same quality and style they love. And by planning and prepping all the upcoming seasons now, we also hope to keep up a pace that will keep even the most insatiable viewers totally fulfilled.” Brimming with massive success since its outset last December, the flagship show has been recently renewed for three more seasons. In the first month, the megahit climbed the streaming service’s ratings and reached over 82 million households globally.

In more Bridgerton news, Seasons 3 and 4 welcome Jess Brownell a Shondaland veteran who has worked on Rhimes’ Scandal and Rhimes’ upcoming Netflix series Inventing Anna. Brownell will be taking the torch from executive producer Chris Van Dusen who was the showrunner for the first season and is currently overseeing filming for the upcoming season, which focuses on Anthony Bridgerton’s voyage for love.