Daphne’s absence in Bridgerton season 3 continues to raise questions after multiple awe-inspiring weddings. Phoebe Dynevor appeared in seasons 1 and 2 as Daphne, who married Simon (Regé-Jean Page) during the first season. Dynevor chose not to return as a member of the Bridgerton season 3 cast, meaning that Daphne could not appear for any of the season’s weddings. Penelope and Colin were recently married, and so were John and Francesca. Since Dynevor left the show, Daphne missed essential events, and it was never discussed.

Daphne’s uninvolved role comes as no issue for showrunner Jess Brownell. In an interview with Variety, Brownell explained that they initially planned to address it, but they eventually decided that they never needed to explain her absence at all. Daphne and Simon were at the weddings, but they simply happened to be out of sight during any important scenes. Check out the full quote below:

There was a version of the scripts this season where at Penelope and Colin’s wedding, we threw a line at the fact that like, “Oh, Daphne wishes she could be here — but she’s pregnant again,” or, “Daphne and Simon? I just saw them, they’re sitting over there.” But the truth of the matter is that it just gets a little wonky to bring them up, and then not see them. But I firmly feel that in my brain, they are still a part of the universe. Obviously on the television show, you’re not seeing every part of these people’s lives. And so they are still going to see Daphne and Simon, Daphne and Simon are still coming over — just not at the time when the camera happens to show up, weirdly.

Daphne Was At The Bridgerton Weddings

Even Without Phoebe Dynevor’s Involvement, Daphne Attended The Weddings

Daphne may not have appeared on-screen, but she was still present at the Bridgerton family weddings and remains a core member of the family. Much of Bridgerton season 1 was focused on Daphne’s love for Simon, so it is no wonder that Dynevor left the show shortly after Simon did. There was little for Daphne to do in season 2, leaving her to become a supporting character in his absence. After Dynevor left, Daphne’s absence was palpable, but it did not take away from the love stories, nor the family dynamic that makes the show so compelling.

The Bridgerton family tree still has enough characters to comfortably lead the narrative in Daphne’s absence. In fact, the shift in focus reflects the structure of Julia Quinn’s books. Each book focuses on a different member of the family, so the seasons focusing on unique characters is an excellent way to reflect that. Considering that her arc has already passed, Daphne’s absence does not entirely change as much as a future central character might. Any future lead might need to be recast in that case.

While she might not have needed to be there, Daphne’s absence is still disappointing. Even if audiences can recognize that she was at the wedding, it is still rewarding to see her celebrating the love lives of her siblings. The relationships between these characters were essential to seasons 1 and 2, so dropping them outright is jarring. If Dynevor ever returns to Bridgerton, Daphne will undoubtedly become an important character again, but her absences from the weddings remain a point of contention.

Source: Variety