7 Bridgerton Characters Who’ll Have Very Different Roles In Season 3

In the upcoming season of Bridgerton, some of the show’s biggest characters will take on some interesting new roles in comparison to the past. Bridgerton season 3 is due to air on Netflix in May 2024, but as the main focus shifts once again, there will be some big changes. The hit period drama follows the lives of the siblings of the Bridgerton family, and each season so far has focused on a singular character’s search for love. In season 1, the focus was on Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), and in season 2, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) was the center of attention.

It is already known that Bridgerton season 3 will be different from seasons 1 and 2, especially as the show’s primary relationship will now be between Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). However, since season 2 was released, the Bridgerton world has also expanded with the spinoff Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, which will also impact the story. With the excitement of Bridgerton season 3 being so close, it’s worth considering how some major characters will have some fascinating new roles in the show.

7

Colin Bridgerton

Colin Will Now Be The Romantic Lead In Bridgerton Season 3

Season 3 will be the first time that Bridgerton will focus on a relationship between two existing characters. In the past, Bridgerton would introduce a new love interest for one of the siblings to meet. In season 1, Daphne meets the Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page), and eventually marries him, and in season 2, Anthony falls in love with Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley). However, season 3 will instead develop the already slow-burning relationship between Colin and Penelope, which has been teased since Bridgerton‘s first episode.

Colin is generally established as a bachelor with eyes for everyone except Penelope, which will make the upcoming episodes very interesting. Colin has dabbled with romance in the past, though. For example, he was briefly engaged to Penelope’s cousin, Marina (Ruby Barker), before discovering she was pregnant by someone else. Colin becoming a romantic lead in season 3 will be an interesting change for the character, especially as he will have to finally face the horrible things he said about Penelope behind her back.

6

Daphne Bridgerton

Daphne Will Be Missing In Bridgerton Season 3

Daphne Bridgerton, the first of Bridgerton‘s lead characters, is a key part of the show’s success. Her storyline in season 1 is filled with passion and anticipation as she fights her growing feelings for Simon, and the two finally getting together is a satisfying conclusion. In season 2, Daphne takes a back seat in Bridgerton, although still makes appearances with her son, Auggie. Simon, however, notably doesn’t return in Bridgerton season 2 as Regé-Jean Page left the show. Despite this, there are still several references to the Duke of Hastings but doesn’t appear on-screen.

It’s already confirmed that Phoebe Dynevor isn’t returning for Bridgerton season 3, as the actress believes that Daphne’s story is at its end. While it is a shame that one of Bridgerton‘s best characters will not be present in the show’s new episodes, Dynevor’s comments do make sense. Removing Daphne from the equation will allow the show to focus on other characters who have yet to receive adequate screen time, especially as she and Simon’s romance storyline is already complete. It’s likely Daphne will still receive a few mentions, though, and hopefully, she’ll return to Bridgerton at a later date.

5

Eloise Bridgerton

Eloise’s Friendship With Pen & Love Of Lady Whistledown Has Completely Changed

In Bridgerton season 2, Penelope and Eloise’s friendship takes a very drastic turn that will continue to impact them in season 3. Throughout the show, Eloise frequently voices her interest in Lady Whistledown’s publishings, and this is something she often discusses with Penelope. But in the season 2 finale, Eloise discovers that Penelope is Lady Whistledown, which shatters the Bridgerton sibling. Finding this out is incredibly conflicting for Eloise, especially as she realizes that Penelope was the one writing about Daphne throughout season 1. However, this isn’t the only reason.

In the pilot, Eloise immediately displays her personality to audiences, establishing herself as being fiercely independent and supportive of women’s rights. Knowing Penelope is Lady Whistledown will change this for Eloise, as she’ll likely be understanding of Penelope’s decision to keep her identity hidden. However, on the other hand, Eloise will find it hard to keep supporting Lady Whistledown’s content, knowing where Penelope has been getting her information from. Of course, there’s a chance that Lady Whistledown will become rather quiet now that Eloise knows the truth, although it seems unlikely.

4

Francesca Bridgerton

Francesca Will Have A Bigger Role In Bridgerton Season 3

Bridgerton season 3 will introduce Hannah Dodd as Francesca, the second youngest Bridgerton daughter. In seasons 1 and 2, Francesca is played by Ruby Stokes, but the character will have a new face ready for the new season. In seasons 1 and 2, Francesca is relatively quiet and only appears in a few scenes, although this makes sense, considering that she has no significant storylines. However, with the character having been recast, it does imply that Francesca may be stepping out of the shadows in Bridgerton season 3 and becoming a more prominent figure in the show.

According to Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton books, Francesca won’t get her love story until the sixth novel, When He Was Wicked. Although it is also known that Bridgerton season 3 will divert from the original timeline, skipping over Benedict’s (Luke Thompson) story, it doesn’t mean that the show cannot start building up Francesca’s character in preparation. It is currently unclear as to why Francesca Bridgerton was recast, but it seems likely that this decision was made because she’ll speak more. This is also why it makes sense that Dodd has been cast, as she’s already proved her strength in delivering dialogue.

3

Anthony Bridgerton

Anthony Will Have A Smaller Role Than Bridgerton Season 2

Anthony Bridgerton has a very important role in Bridgerton, especially as the eldest son of the family. In season 1, Anthony’s primary focus is to protect Daphne from any unacceptable suitors and ensure that she marries as soon as possible. This is a crucial job for Anthony, as their father is no longer around, making Anthony the man of the house and responsible for his siblings and their mother, Violet (Ruth Gemmell). However, once Daphne weds Simon, being his sister’s defender is no longer Anthony’s purpose, which opens up his own love story in season 2.

In Bridgerton season 2, the main focus surrounds Anthony meeting and developing feelings for Kate. Despite getting off to a rocky start, it’s quickly clear that Kate is the perfect fit for him. Both Kate and Anthony lost major family members at an early age and understand the responsibility of looking after their remaining loved ones, which helps build their bond throughout season 2. Now that Anthony’s romance storyline is over, he won’t be as important in Bridgerton as he once was. However, it does allow him to take a step back now, much like Daphne also has.

2

Queen Charlotte

The Queen’s Story Will Hit Very Differently After Her Spinoff

In the spinoff, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, several crucial details about Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) and Agatha (Adjoa Andoh) went on to make an impact on Bridgerton‘s story. Young Queen Charlotte’s (India Ria Amarteifio) story will be incredibly important for the parent show, especially as it provides audiences with a deeper understanding of the character’s past in multiple ways. For example, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story explains her marriage to King George III (Corey Mylchreest) in a much better way and makes little references and details about him littered throughout Bridgerton clearer and easier to understand.

It also explains why Charlotte is abrupt yet understanding when needed, an important quality she demonstrates to George multiple times. However, the prequel also expands upon Agatha and Charlotte’s friendship. Charlotte’s right-hand woman is always at her side, but knowing that Agatha plays a big part in the success of the “experiment” provides essential context. Bridgerton season 3 will be the first installment to air after the prequel, and so now that audiences understand the Queen’s past and how she became the person she is, the show will be able to use her life to help better its story.

1

Cressida Cowper

She Will Be A Bigger Villain In Bridgerton Season 3

One of Bridgerton‘s biggest villains is Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), who has several dramatic moments with more than one character. For example, in season 1, Cressida is constantly battling against Daphne for the attention of suitors. In one instance, she attempts to flirt with Prince Friedrich of Prussia (Freddie Stroma) but ends up in a fit of rage when the Queen pulls him away to introduce him to Daphne instead. However, Cressida’s most significant issues are with Penelope. At one event, she purposely spills a drink on Penelope after very publically flirting with Colin, simply to embarrass her.

According to the Bridgerton book Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, Cressida will be the main villain of season 3. In the novel, Cressida discovers Penelope’s secret of being Lady Whistledown and uses this to blackmail her. Although Cressida is already an antagonistic figure in Bridgerton, if the show follows the books, then she will become a full-blown evil villain in season 3. Considering Cressida makes it very clear that she’s interested in Colin and can likely spot Penelope’s feelings for him a mile off, this storyline is surely to cause a lot of drama in Bridgerton season 3.