New Orleans, La – On Saturday evening, April 15, 2023, a most exhilarating affair was held on the campus of Xavier University of Louisiana. Hundreds of students from Xavier’s other sister Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) attended a waltz sponsored by streaming giant Netflix celebrating the upcoming premiere of “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.” A prequel to “Bridgerton,” one of Netflix’s most popular series, “Queen Charlotte” follows the young Black queen’s rise to prominence and power. Attendees wore their most elegant fashions and were treated to iHeartRadio personality and songwriter Sheba Songz as the MC and guest performances by the all-female Original Pinettes Brass Band and New Orleans’ own Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia. Then, the 87th Miss Xavier University of Louisiana, Nina Giddens, and the 8th Mister Xavier, Zion Rouge, had the honor of unveiling the special gift that “Queen Charlotte” graciously granted the Xavier University of Louisiana Golden Sound Marching Band; their first ever official uniforms.

“The gift of a set of band uniforms is nothing short of a blessing! This gift grants us the ability to properly represent our university,” said Darren Rodgers, Jr., director of the Golden Sound Marching Band at Xavier University of Louisiana. “Our school colors in such a beautiful design will demand the attention of all. We are very excited to take yet another step towards solidifying our existence and image as an HBCU marching band.”

The celebration was a love letter to royal culture at HBCUs. Xavier’s campus royalty made appearances, including Xavier University of Louisiana President Dr. Reynold Verret and the Xavier Royal Court. Queens from other HBCUs were also cordially invited and attended, with Aleya Barber, Miss Tuskegee University, Jerika Edwards, Miss Dillard University and Taverlyn Shepard, Miss Prairie View A&M University, receiving the royal treatment during their visit. Xavier’s Golden Starlettes Dance Team also performed after the introduction of the Royal Court. After playing a “Queen Charlotte” trailer on Xavier’s jumbotron, a recorded message from “Queen Charlotte” showrunner Shonda Rhimes heralded the announcement of the gift to the Golden Sound.

Later in the evening, Big Freedia performed her recently released “Bridgerton” themed “Hey Queen“ New Orleans Bounce Remix and several of her other signature songs. Earlier this week, Netflix and Shondaland announced a remix to the Strong Black Lead “Hey Queen” series featuring Big Freedia’s special bounce remix.

The evening’s celebration took place on and around a floral circular stage rendered from the crown Queen Charlotte wears in the show. The 20-foot-tall crown weighed over 2000 lbs. and had over 1,600 intricate beads as well as 160 metal-cut flowers.

Centered on Queen Charlotte’s rise to prominence and power, this prequel in the “Bridgerton” universe tells the story of how the young queen’s marriage to King George sparked both a great love story and a societal shift, creating the world of the Ton inherited by the characters in “Bridgerton.” “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” launches globally on May 4 only on Netflix.

Click here to view a video of the event and here to download pictures.