Every Bridgerton Spouse Ranked By Likability

Warning! Spoilers about Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton books are ahead.

Bridgerton is responsible for promoting love so epic that relationships in real life can’t ever compare, and each Bridgerton’s spouse is almost too good to be true — some, however, are more popular with audiences than others. The Bridgertons all had different love stories: some started out as friendships or partnerships, and others were more of an enemies-to-lovers tale or stemmed from a one-sided crush. In the end, they had one vital thing in common: all the Bridgertons married for love and were blissfully happy with their partners and children. Violet and Edmund led by example with their perfect union, and their children simply followed.

The Bridgertons’ spouses are far from being perfect, as they have all made mistakes, acted foolishly, and behaved like any other ordinary human beings, but that hasn’t stopped their partners from loving them. For instance, Simon and Daphne got off to a rocky start because Simon lied to Daphne about his inability to conceive, but eventually, they found a way to move past his childhood trauma. Unfortunately, Daphne’s strategy of uncovering the truth involved sexually assaulting Simon, which made Daphne the least likable Bridgerton. Anyway, while Bridgerton‘s Simon is still a compelling romantic hero, he is hardly the spouse with the least faults.

9 John Stirling

Francesca Bridgerton’s First Husband

John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin, was the first husband of Francesca Bridgerton, and the only reason he is ranked last is that there is not much to know about him. John quickly swept Francesca off her feet, and the couple married when Francesca was but 20 years old. For two blissful years, John gave his wife the much-needed sense of serenity and quietude, which was all she ever wanted. Unfortunately, their perfect marriage was cut short by John’s unexpected death at 28 years old. If John had any shortcomings, he didn’t have enough time to show them in the Bridgerton novel, When He Was Wicked.

8 Simon Basset

Daphne Bridgerton’s Husband

In both Bridgerton season 1 and the novel, The Duke and I, Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, was a complicated character with layers of childhood trauma caused by his negligent father. Even though Simon loved Daphne with all his heart, he was reluctant to show it at first, preferring to hide behind an impenetrable wall of his deepest fears. Simon took advantage of Daphne’s lack of sex education and lied to her about him not being able to have children. He then tried to make up excuses about the technicalities of his lie, which was a new low for him. In the end, Simon and Daphne worked out their issues, and the most unnecessarily dramatic couple got their happily-ever-after.

7 Lucy Abernathy

Gregory Bridgerton’s Wife

Lady Lucinda Abernathy won’t be introduced for quite a while in the show, but she is a force of nature in the Bridgerton novel, On the Way to the Wedding. Lucy was the one who initially helped Gregory to win her friend’s heart since he was head over heels for Hermione, but she was engaged to another man. However, Lucy and Gregory ended up falling for each other, and all ended well. Lucy wished Hermione the best, and yet she didn’t have the right to interfere with her love life. Still, Lucy was an absolute delight, and even her meddling only had positive consequences for all the parties involved.

6 Kate Sharma (Sheffield)

Anthony Bridgerton’s Wife

Bridgerton‘s Kate Sharma differed from her book counterpart, Kate Sheffield, a great deal, but they were both fearless, fierce women who weren’t afraid to speak their minds. Kate’s denial of her feelings for Anthony was infuriating — more so in the show than in the book, The Viscount Who Loved Me — but it came from a good place. In the end, Kate turned out to be the perfect partner for Anthony, as she was the only one who could tame his overbearing personality, and for that, she deserved a round of applause. The viscountess’ perseverance knew no bounds, and Anthony couldn’t have wished for a better match for himself.

5 Penelope Featherington

Colin Bridgerton’s Wife

With the upcoming Bridgerton season 3, Penelope and Colin’s story could still undergo a few changes from its book version, but it would take an extreme plot twist to make Penelope less lovable than she is. In Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Penelope was essentially the most relatable character, the wallflower who was easy to relate to, the woman who inspired. Penelope wasn’t perfect — in fact, she often acted out of jealousy, which resulted in people’s feelings getting hurt by yet another shocking revelation in Lady Whistledown’s column, but that made Penelope a more layered character. Colin was truly lucky to marry Penelope because she was a woman who knew how to love.

4 Phillip Crane

Eloise Bridgerton’s Husband

Bridgerton surprised viewers by introducing Sir Phillip Crane as early as season 1, way before his story with Eloise was supposed to start, but he was already at his best. After his brother tragically died, he acted like a gentleman and offered his hand in marriage to his fiancée, Marina Thompson. In To Sir Phillip, With Love, Marina died by suicide, and Phillip was fully dedicated to finding a mother for his children, as he felt that he was failing them on his own. Phillip might have been short-tempered and preferred the company of plants to people, but he always tried to do his best. It was his brutal sincerity that enamored Eloise in the first place.

3 Gareth St. Clair

Hyacinth Bridgerton’s Husband

Baron Gareth St. Clair was an utterly charming rake before marrying Hyacinth, whose quick wit and endless retorts made him irresistible. Gareth’s dark backstory and desire to find out the truth, no matter what, added a certain appeal to him. Lady Danbury was Gareth’s grandmother, and their relationship was another heartwarming highlight of It’s in His Kiss, which simply must be present in Bridgerton when the time comes. Gareth and Hyacinth made for a fiery duo, and they were the only ones who could properly handle each other. Overall, Gareth was one of the most captivating heroes in the Bridgerton books.

2 Michael Stirling

Francesca Bridgerton’s Second Husband

In When He Was Wicked, Francesca’s second husband, Michael Stirling, was her first husband’s cousin who pined after her from the first day he laid eyes on her. Unlike John, Michael was much more energetic, and his presence was a lot more overwhelming, but Francesca appreciated him for everything he was. Michael was a true Bridgerton gentleman — even though he loved Francesca from the beginning, he never did anything to jeopardize her relationship with John. Michael tortured himself at the very thought of starting things up with Francesca long after John passed, but in the end, they were both able to forgive themselves and be happy together.

1 Sophie Beckett

Benedict Bridgerton’s Wife

It was impossible not to adore Sophie Beckett from her very first scene in An Offer from a Gentleman, and it’s a shame that Bridgerton decided to skip Sophie and Benedict’s book. Their story was quite different, since Sophie wasn’t from higher society; instead, she was a bastard child who was forced to live as a servant. Despite her miserable childhood and early life, Sophie managed to remain a kindhearted woman who had a lot of love to give. Sophie stuck to her principles, and she never agreed to less than she deserved. Benedict was wise enough to challenge society’s outdated ideals and be with the woman he loved and who loved him.