Dearest Gentle Reader, the fashionable families of London have returned to the city for the spring season of courtship, scandals, and gossip. Below, we’ll guide you through what has happened in the series up to this point, what to expect from the second part of season three, and how to watch safely.
Illegal streaming services are prolific online, many of which pretend to be well-intentioned and authentic when the truth is anything but. We encourage you to learn how to recognize illegal streaming websites to ensure all the drama and scandals stay with the ton, not you.
Everything You Need To Know About Bridgerton, Season 3
While Lady Bridgerton is excited to present her daughter, Francesca, into society, Penelope Featherington faces a dreaded third season on the marriage market. Overbearing mamas, meddling matchmakers, and the prospect of becoming Queen Charlotte’s “diamond” drive the third season of Bridgerton to be the most exciting yet. With status, security, and love on the line, all is fair game.
A Quick Recap of Seasons 1 and 2
Bridgerton is a Netflix series originally released in 2020 by creator Chris Van Dusen. The show is based on the eight-part book series of the same name by Julia Quinn. Both the books and the TV series follow the stories of the eight Bridgerton siblings as they come of age and search for love through the chaotic, gossiping, and meddling thralls of London’s high society during the Regency era.
The first season of Bridgerton followed the events of the first novel, “The Duke & I,” which was published in 2000. In the series, the Bridgerton family’s eldest daughter, Daphne, played by Phoebe Dynevor, was introduced into society and immediately won Queen Charlotte’s approval, who proclaimed Daphne as the season’s “diamond.”
Daphne Bridgerton’s acclaim, however, was short-lived, as a beautiful newcomer arrived in London. Under the stress of being the queen’s diamond and the constant commentary by the ton’s mysterious society columnist, Lady Whistledown, Daphne began a charade with the prominent bachelor and Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset, played by Regé-Jean Page, who was eager to stay out of the limelight. Putting aside their disdain for each other, the two entered into a fictitious relationship, which they hoped would take them out of the competitive courtship scene and away from the public’s eye. However, their relationship generated more scrutiny than either could imagine, and their fabricated romantic feelings weren’t as fake as they originally thought.
The second season of Bridgerton was released in 2022 based on Quinn’s second novel, “The Viscount Who Loved Me.” The season focused on Daphne’s eldest brother, Anthony, as he attempted to forgo his bachelor lifestyle and take up the duties of viscount, including finding a wife. His courtship with the beautiful Edwina Sharma, however, was constantly interrupted by Edwina’s overly protective half-sister Kate. To mend the rift, Edwina contrived ways to get Anthony and Kate alone to better know one another. However, their time together made Anthony question if he may have chosen the wrong sister.
All current seasons of Bridgerton can be streamed on Netflix.
Season 3, Part 1 Recap & Synopsis (Spoilers)
As the ton returns to London, an icy frigidity hangs over them. The close friendship between Penelope Featherington and Eloise Bridgerton, one of the four Bridgerton daughters, has been damaged due to the commentary published by Lady Whistledown about Eloise toward the end of season two. The first season revealed the anonymous writer to be Penelope herself, a fact that Eloise had learned in the second season. In season two, Queen Charlotte suspected Eloise of being the mysterious columnist, so Penelope, as Lady Whistledown, publicly defamed Eloise to assuage suspicion. Nevertheless, the damage was done, and Eloise, at the beginning of season three, has found a new best friend in Cressida Cowper.
Meanwhile, Lady Bridgerton is eager to present her daughter, Francesca, to the queen and society, but Queen Charlotte is altogether unimpressed by this year’s lineup of debutants and does not select one of the girls as her “diamond.” Colin, the third eldest of the Bridgerton boys, has returned from his extensive travels and quickly becomes the most eligible suitor in town, though he himself is not seeking a wife.
A rift has also grown between Penelope and Colin after she heard him say in the previous season that he would never court her. This, along with the attention Colin is receiving from the eligible ladies of the ton, causes Penelope, as Lady Whistledown, to write a scathing rebuke of Colin’s new, fake personality.
To make matters worse for Penelope, her sisters, Prudence and Philipa, spend their time swooning over their new — albeit titleless — husbands. Will Mondrich, a former boxer and club owner, is elevated to nobility when his son is identified as the heir to an otherwise dying line. This succession upsets Lady Featherington who worries about her own lineage and urges her daughters to produce a male heir. Feeling isolated and unlovable, Penelope, now in her third season on the marriage market, decides to take matters into her own hands. She attempts to cast aside the mantle of the awkward, bookish wallflower and arrives at the first ball in a stunning new gown.
Her confidence is short-lived, however, when Cressida deliberately steps on Penelope’s train, tearing the dress. Humiliated, Penelope flees the ball and is pursued by Colin, seeking to comfort her. The two make amends, and Penelope’s secret feelings for him are rekindled. The two devise a plan to have Colin teach Penelope how to be more charismatic and confident in society in order to attract a husband. However, after the havoc wrought by Lady Whistledown’s columns about him and his sister, Eloise, Colin swears to ruin Lady Whistledown should he ever find out who she is.
Colin and Penelope commence their lessons throughout London, and Penelope struggles to contain her affection. During one lesson at the Bridgerton house, Eloise arrives unexpectedly and learns of their arrangement. At the subsequent ball, Eloise shares with Cressida that Colin is teaching Penelope how to be charming, and the gossip quickly spreads throughout the crowd. Mortified, Penelope leaves, and Eloise chastises Cressida for sharing her secret. Cressida defends herself, saying that she told no one but that Eloise’s voice was loud enough in that moment of confidence to have been heard by more than just the two of them.
Meanwhile, Lady Danbury arranges to have the queen secretly observe Francesca playing the piano in private, for which Francesca is named the queen’s diamond.
Fearing the scrutiny of what might happen if Lady Whisteldown’s next column does not mention her widespread scandal, Penelope, as Lady Whistledown, writes of her own humiliation. In the fallout of its publication, Penelope is more devastated than ever. Desperate, she asks Colin to kiss her if only to feel what it’s like. He obliges, and deeper feelings for Penelope begin to emerge.
Having forgone their lessons, Penelope tries to charm the men of the ton herself and finds an easy target in Lord Debling. Debling, like Penelope, is a socially ostracized academic who finds Penelope’s candor and weariness of society refreshing. Francesca’s affections are caught by the quiet company of John Sterling, Earl of Kilmartin, who she happens upon while taking a reprieve from the party.
As Lord Debling and Penelope’s courtship continues, Colin’s secret feelings toward Penelope grow. Cressida tries to come between Debling and Penelope to win his favor. As the three talk in the park, a storm picks up and Penelope is nearly struck by a runaway hot-air balloon. Debling covers her on the ground while Colin seizes the balloon’s ropes and wrangles it back under control. Meanwhile, Colin’s older brother, Benedict, meets and begins a casual relationship with Lady Tilley Arnold, and Queen Charlotte introduces Francesca to Lord Samadani from Vienna as her choice for Francesca’s hand.
At the next ball, Lady Bridgerton encourages Colin to act on his feelings, but he is unable to confess his sentiments toward Penelope before Lord Debling intervenes. There, Lady Bridgerton meets Lady Danbury’s brother, Marcus Anderson, and the two feel sparks.
Later, Lord Debling calls upon Penelope at her home, and the two discuss an engagement. Meanwhile, Francesca receives both Lord Kilmartin and Lord Samadani at her home, leading to an uncomfortable interaction. However, later Lord Kilmartin gifts Francesca a piece of music that he had recomposed to her liking after hearing her say the original felt too rushed. She is enamored and plays it earnestly on the piano.
During the following gala, Penelope expects Debling’s proposal and is distraught when Colin cuts in. Colin urges Penelope to reconsider the match, which she refuses. However, seeing Colin’s disapproval and the clear passion between them, Debling does not propose. Disgraced, Penelope leaves the ball, but Colin catches her in her coach. He confesses his feelings and the two begin to become intimate. When the coach arrives at the Bridgerton house, Colin proposes to Penelope.
Season 3, Part 2 Plot (Spoilers)
Part two will pick up where the season left off with its dramatic cliffhangers. The series’ showrunner, Jess Brownell, discussed with Tudum “that there’s an extra thing dangling over Penelope and Colin that will provide conflict” in the second half of the season. It is expected that Penelope’s identity as Lady Whistledown will come to light, forcing Colin to grapple with his feelings of love toward Penelope and his disdain for Lady Whistledown, who marred both his and Eloise’s reputations.
Part two will also likely show how Queen Charlotte will react to Francesca rebuffing her choice of suitor, which of the Featherington girls (if either) is pregnant, how Benedict will navigate his liaisons with Lady Arnold, and if Lady Bridgerton’s relationship with Marcus Anderson will bloom into something more.
Release Date & Episode Count
Part two of season three will be released on Netflix in the U.S. on June 13, 2024. The second half of the season will include four episodes that are expected to run roughly an hour each, just like the other Bridgerton installments.
The upcoming episodes are:
- Episode 5: “Tick Tock”
- Episode 6: “Romancing Mister Bridgerton”
- Episode 7: “Joining of Hands”
- Episode 8: “Into the Light”
Bridgerton Season 3 Official Trailer
Return to a time of elegance and romance, where gossip is on every tongue and whispered behind every fan. View Netflix’s official trailer for the third season of Bridgerton below.
Cast & Crew
Nicola Coughlan stars in this season of Bridgerton as Penelope Featherington. Coughlan is known for her TV roles as Clare Devlin in Derry Girls and Hannah Dalton in Harlots.
Joining her is the majority of the original cast, including cameos from the season two couple, Anthony and Kate, played by Johnathan Bailey and Simone Ashley. The cast also welcomes newcomer Hannah Dodd who is replacing Ruby Stokes in the role of Francesca Bridgerton. Bridgerton creator Chris Van Dusen told TVLine that Stokes left the show due to a prior commitment with another Netflix show, Lockwood & Co.
Nevertheless, Dodd has already made her charm and talent clear in the first four episodes of season three. She has previously played alongside Nicola Coughlan in Harlets as Sophia Fitzwilliam and even appeared in Marvel’s Eternals.
Be sure to review other cast members below before the next episodes drop:
- Nicola Coughlan: Penelope Featherington
- Claudia Jessie: Eloise
- Luke Newton: Colin Bridgerton
- Hannah Dodd: Francesca Bridgerton
- Golda Rosheuvel: Queen Charlotte
- Luke Thompson: Benedict Bridgerton
- Jessica Madsen: Cressida Cowper
- Adjoa Andoh: Lady Agatha Danbury
- Daniel Francis: Lord Marcus Anderson
- Ruth Gemmell: Lady Violet Bridgerton
- Polly Walker: Lady Portia Featherington
- Bessie Carter: Prudence Featherington
- Harriet Cains: Philipa Featherington
- James Phoon: Harry Dankworth
- Lorn Macdonald: Albion Finch
- Martins Imhangbe: Will Mondrich
- Sam Phillips: Lord Alfred Debling
- Victor Alli: Lord John Stirling
- David Mumeni: Lord Samadani
- Jonathan Bailey: Lord Anthony Bridgerton
- Simone Ashley: Kate Sharma
- Julie Andrews: Lady Whistledown (Voice)
The crew includes:
- Producers: Chris Van Dusen, Shonda Rhimes, Tom Verica, Betsy Beers, Jess Brownell, Julie Anne Robinson
- Cinematographers: Jeffrey Jur, Alicia Robbins, Diana Olifirova
- Composer: Kris Bowers
- Production Companies: Netflix, Shondaland
How To Stream Bridgerton, Season 3, Part 2
The second half of Bridgerton’s third season will be available in its entirety on Netflix on June 13, 2024. No other streaming service is authorized to show this content as part of its subscription, so be on the lookout for illegal sites that may be claiming otherwise. Accessing illegally obtained content can have serious risks, including damaging your device’s integrity or compromising your sensitive personal data.
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Stream safely, and we’ll see you back in Mayfair with the rest of the ton!
