Everything We Hope To See in Bridgerton Season 3

After what feels like a decade, April finally brought the much anticipated Bridgerton Season 3 release date…or, should I say, dates. 

In an unprecedented twist, the “Lady Whistledown” posts arrived on the official Bridgerton and Netflix social media pages on the 11th of April, announcing that Season 3 would actually be hitting our screens in two separate parts. The first four episodes were released this month (16th May), and the latter half will be a month behind (13th June). 

As torturous as it may seem now, having to wait an entire four weeks between Season 3 parts one and two, sheer anticipation and dedication got us through the last two years since Season 2 landed on Netflix in March 2022, and I am optimistic that one more month won’t be too bad. 

Alongside the release dates, the 11th of April also brought us our first full-length trailer for the highly-anticipated third instalment. Based on the books, the past two seasons and the official trailer, this is everything I hope to see in Season 3! 

The Return of Fran

Perceptive viewers will probably have noticed that Francesca was mostly absent from Bridgerton Season 2. In Season 1, her occasional appearances were explained as her returning from relatives in Bath. where she spent most of the initial season. But her absence throughout the second season went entirely undiscussed. She was only ever present in scenes that involved the entire family, which boils down to three episodes of fleeting appearances. Francesca is child number six in the Bridgerton household. So, if the show followed the books more closely, Francesca’s own love story wouldn’t be until the sixth season, which suggests she is not a pivotal character until a season yet to come, if at all. 

Given the order of the characters’ stories has been mixed around for the Netflix adaptation, Francesca’s role may become more prominent as the show progresses. In the Bridgerton Season 3 ‘Kanthony’ Sneak Peak posted on YouTube by the official Netflix account on 20th March, we not only get to see Francesca again, but it is very clear she is back and ready to find a man! 

The keen-eyed viewers may have also noticed that Fran looks substantially different in the upcoming season from the Fran of seasons past. This is due to recasting. The recurring absences in the first two seasons were actually due to the original actress, Ruby Stokes, having prior acting engagements, which caused filming conflicts and meant Stokes (Fran) was mostly absent. As a result, the character of Francesca has been recast with Hannah Dodd, who will hopefully have a more prominent presence in the season. 

The Viscount and Viscountess

Unlike the Duke and Duchess of Hastings, who never appeared on screen together after their love-match story was concluded in Season 1, the coming season promises a significant presence of the Viscount alongside his new wife. I am grateful to see this, as the second season felt very bizarre with the Duke being absent.

Daphne at least played a role in Anthony’s own season, but it was definitely more of a minor part while her husband (and child) were nowhere to be seen. The reason why this is so strange is that the Duke actually plays a big part in the stories of Daphne’s siblings. The Duke resolves a great many scandals through his title and social standing. Given the scandal caused by Anthony’s love triangle in the second season and the fact Anthony and the Duke were supposedly best mates, the absence of Daphne’s husband was strange. 

Much like the Duke, Anthony holds significant social standing. He is the head of the Bridgerton household, so if he did not return for Season 3, it would be a noticeable change to the family dynamics, which would not make sense for a titled family in the 19th Century. But thankfully, this isn’t something we’ll have to worry about yet. In the same clip as the one mentioned above, we get to see the Viscount actually smiling, asking his new Viscountess for a dance. Hopefully, this clip guarantees more scenes of the happily married couple, “Kanthony”, in Season 3. 

Romance for Benedict and Eloise

In terms of the so-far-unwed Bridgerton siblings, Benedict and Eloise have been fairly headstrong in their attempts to avoid the marriage market for as long as possible. In the books, Benedict’s love story is actually second, with Anthony first and Colin (like in the coming season) third. With that being said, Benedict has had a small romance so far with Madame Delacoix, and Eloise even got the vaguest whisper of potential love with the printing shop apprentice Theo Sharpe. Now, neither of these is who the characters end up in their respective novels, but it’s hard to be sure what will be on the cards for these two bachelors in the Netflix adaptation. 

Spoiler Alert! Eloise is actually set to end up with Phillip Crane – yeah, Phillip Crane, who married Marina at the end of Season 1 – at least in the books. This relationship only begins after his wife dies, so if the show follows the narrative of the books, we will have to see Marina’s passing in order for this romance to start. In the summary of the coming third season, Eloise is described as finding a “new friend”, which may suggest Phillip Crane will be returning to our screens ahead of the fourth season, which should be Eloise’s love story. 

Meanwhile, on the Netflix Family Facebook page, a reel was shared of Benedict in the run-up to Season 3. In this short clip, Lady Whistledown says: “Many have suggested that Mr Bridgerton might desire to join the mart this season[…] I do encourage you to say yes to society for once, Mister Bridgerton; you never know where it may lead you.” In response, Benedict emphasizes his disinterest in joining the marriage market. However, hopeful fans are eager to see Benedict join his brothers in some romance sooner rather than later. 

Penelope and Colin

Obviously, the main and overarching storyline we are all dying to see in Season 3 is the finally blossoming love between Penelope and Colin. Much like the previous Bridgerton siblings’ seasons, this follows the same roadmap of Colin’s story in the novel, though it seems like it has been altered from the aforementioned text. In the official trailer, it seems Penelope has reached the point in her life (and career as Lady Whistledown) that getting married is the most secure route for her. In the attempts to find a husband, long-standing friend and unrequited love of hers, Colin Bridgerton offers up his wingman services to assist her in her quest for matrimony. 

Based on the romance tropes we’ve already seen from Bridgerton’s earlier seasons, fake-dating and enemies-to-lovers, as well as at least one love triangle, it seems like we’re getting the climax of a friends-to-lovers storyline in the upcoming season, with Colin finally seeing Penelope as a love interest, not just his little sister’s BFF. How well Netflix has managed to express this plotline across the eight episodes is still to be determined. We cannot be certain this love story will live up to its season 1 and 2 counterparts, but I’m hoping the two years in the making will pay off in a love story we’ve been waiting for for years. 

Will We See The Duke?

In terms of what we won’t be seeing this season, there’s a lot still in the air and unmentioned in the brief trailer, but what is for certain is that the Duke of Hastings will once again not be making an appearance, and neither will Daphne. Rege Jean Page has spoken in several interviews about why he has not returned to the role of the Duke, which boils down to Page’s busy schedule and other jobs.

Discussions have been circulating as to whether or not producers may even recast the role of Simon, though I feel as though Page’s performance was too iconic to be replaced seamlessly. Unlike in Season 2, when Daphne returned to aid her siblings through their own trials and scandals, Phoebe Dynevor will also not be reprising her role in Season 3. As the show segways into storylines based on the other siblings, involving more screen time for the other actors, it’s clear that Daphne and the Duke are no longer crucial characters, and Season 3 will be going ahead without them. 

However, I am sure that this season should be worth the wait, with this being the longest gap between seasons so far. I am also certain that the fourth episode, which will be the final episode released in May, will leave us desperate for the rest of the season ahead of the four-week-long break. Hopefully, the second half of Season 3 will live up to the hype and be the best yet to come.