What is the Queen snorting in Bridgerton? Fans are confused by the mystery substance

What is the Queen snorting in Bridgerton?
(Image credit: Netflix)

As the second season Bridgerton gets underway, fans binge watching across the world are wondering what is the Queen snorting in the show?

Queen Charlotte and Lady Whistledown is one of the many returning characters of the hit show and while Season 2 introduces some new cast members into the Ton, with the departure of the lovely Rege-Jean Page, the Queen is actually getting more people talking than ever before and it's all down to her actions at the afternoon tea table which are proving puzzling.

One fan tweeted, "Wait what’s that the queen sniff jus now?!"

And another viewer put, "Did I just watch the Queen sniff some white powder? During afternoon tea one needs a little pick me I see. #Bridgerton"

And a third tweeted, "So I’m watching Bridgerton… what the hell did the Queen just sniff??"

What is the Queen snorting in Bridgerton?

The Queen is snorting snuff in Bridgerton - an early form of tobacco that is traditionally ingested through the nose. Snuff is a form of finely chopped tobacco that you ingest by breathing through the nose. It gives users a concentrated hit of nicotine. In the past, Snuff was also often “flavoured” to add an extra burst of scent, taste, or fragrance like modern day form of vaping, except it gets blown up the nose.

In an interview with Decider to promote the new series, actress Golda Rosheuvel, who plays the Queen wanted to assure fans that her character is simply a fan of tobacco and nothing else - despite some viewers being concerned that it could be cocaine.

And even on set there wasn't a bit of tobacco in sight as the powder she sniffs for filming was some form of sugar.

She said, "I think it’s like glucose stuff. At the end of the day I’m like, yeah, wild sugar rush,” Rosheuvel said.

“It’s harmless, it’s fine. Absolutely harmless," she added.

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What is snuff?

The powdered tobacco Snuff became widespread throughout the world in during the 18th Century. At first, each quantity was freshly grated. Rappee is the name later given to a coarse, pungent snuff made from dark tobacco and some Snuff takers carried graters around with them.

It became popular in the 1700s and 1800s for its stimulating nicotine boost and was also believed to help relieve common colds and stop snoring.

What was snuff used for in the olden days?

In the olden days Snuff was introduced by way of perfumes handkerchiefs, powdered wigs, incensed smoke, or scented snuff as it was thought to be able to block or prevent illnesses with its good odours in the nose as many diseases were attributed to ill winds.

People would carry it around in little tins like this one pictured below...

Snuff box Old snuff box. Opened box and lid.

Credit: Getty

It can come in two formats - dry form for snorting and wet or moist form for chewing or dipping tobacco. The smokeless tobacco is meant to be inhaled through the nose or chewed or placed in the mouth to produce saliva.

Bridgerton Season 2 can be streamed on Netflix.

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Selina Maycock
Senior Entertainment Writer

Selina is currently a Senior Entertainment Writer for Goodto.com, formerly Senior Entertainment writer for Woman&Home, and My Imperfect Life and has more than 16 years of experience in newspapers, magazines and online. She currently writes a mix of Entertainment news - including celebrity births, weddings and reality show line-ups including Strictly, Dancing On Ice and The Great British Bake Off, reporting the the latest news about the Royal kids Prince George, Charlotte, Louis, Archie and Lilibet as well as Family news stories from baby names to store closures and product recall warnings. Before joining Future Publishing, Selina graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2006 with a degree in Journalism. She is fully NCTJ and NCE qualified and has 100wpm shorthand. When she's not interviewing celebrities you can find her exploring new countryside walking routes, catching up with friends over good food, or making memories.