Regency Romance
Your Full Guide to All ‘Bridgerton’ Love Stories: Who Ends Up With Whom?
We’re seriously going through a Vitamin Bridgerton withdrawal, and honestly, not even the sneak peeks of Benophie are enough to pull us out of it right now. We miss those swoonworthy Bridgerton kisses, Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) in various states of undress, and Lady Whistledown’s shade. We’ve already reread the entire book series by Julia Quinn that inspired the Netflix adaptation, and it’s simply not enough, gentle readers.
So, while we wait (impatiently) for Season 4 to finally, finally hit our screens, we’re diving into all of the Bridgerton love stories. From the books to the Netflix adaptation, we’re breaking down every love story — and we’re also throwing in some predictions for Eloise Bridgerton’s season… just a hunch!
Bridgerton, Season 4, TBA, Netflix
Daphne Bridgerton
Ends up with: Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings
Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) may not be the oldest sibling, but her love story takes the spotlight first in both the books and the Netflix adaptation. In Season 1, and The Duke and I, Daphne enters the marriage market and quickly earns the title of “Diamond of the Season.” She and Simon (Regé-Jean Page) enter into a fake courtship to dodge societal pressure — Simon wants to avoid all the power-hungry mamas, and Daphne’s just looking for a good match.
Surprise, surprise, this fake arrangement turns into real love, even though Simon’s hesitant to marry due to his complicated past with his dad. After they’re caught in an —ahem — compromising position, they’re forced to marry. Their challenges don’t stop there, though—Simon has sworn not to have kids so the Hastings line can end with him. But by the end of Season 1 and the book, Daphne and Simon are happily in love with a little one on the way. A true case of “all’s well that ends well!”
Anthony Bridgerton
Ends up with: Kate Sharma
Many of us are still recovering from the steamy second season of Bridgerton, but even though the adaptation was a hit, it wasn’t exactly true to the book. In The Viscount Who Loved Me, Anthony is determined to marry someone he likes but doesn’t love to avoid heartbreak. He sets his sights on Edwina Sheffield (Charithra Chandran), the “Diamond of the Season,” but her sister Kate (Simone Ashley) is dead set against the match. It’s a classic enemies-to-lovers situation, with Anthony and Kate clashing over and over before eventually falling in love.
In the show, we have the Sharma sisters, who are of Indian descent. Also, in the book, the bee sting incident (major swoon!) is a pivotal moment where Anthony sucks venom from Kate’s chest, and they’re forced to marry after being caught in that compromising position. Plus, in the novel, Anthony and Edwina don’t get as far as a wedding, and Edwina is quickly happy for her sister. But honestly, no complaints here — we’re totally satisfied with our Viscount and Viscountess!
Benedict Bridgerton
Ends up with: Sophie Baek
We’ve reached a big deviation from the books and the series! In the books, Quinn placed Benedict’s (Luke Thompson) story third, but Netflix decided to develop Colin’s romance first, with Benedict’s following a season later. Benedict’s story is a classic Cinderella story—just, you know, without Hilary Duff.
In An Offer from a Gentleman, Sophie, the illegitimate daughter of an earl, gets treated horribly by her stepmother and stepsisters. She sneaks into a masquerade ball, where she meets Benedict. They fall for each other, but she disappears that night. After getting caught by her stepmother, she’s thrown out and forced to become a maid. Two years later, Benedict meets her again, but he doesn’t recognize her. After saving her from the unwanted advances of her sleazy employer, she starts working for his mom, Violet Bridgerton. Benedict is caught between his growing feelings for Sophie and his obsession with the masked woman from the ball. He offers her a proposition: Be his mistress, since he believes marriage is out of the question due to her lower social status, but she refuses. Things come to a head, the truth comes out, and despite her scandalous birth and social standing, Benedict chooses to marry Sophie.
We’ll have to wait until Season 4 to know exactly how their story will unfold and what will happen to the time jump. But we already know that Sophie Beckett is now Sophie Baek and will be played by the stunning Yerin Ha.
Colin Bridgerton
Ends up with: Penelope Featherington
Finally, a friends-to-lovers story, with a little Lady Whistledown spice thrown in! In both Romancing Mister Bridgerton and Season 3, Penelope’s (Nicola Coughlan) been secretly in love with Colin (Luke Newton) for years. But that’s where the similarities stop. In the Netflix adaptation, Colin helps Penelope figure out how to find a husband, and they share a kiss (her first!) when she fears she might never be kissed. They finally get together in a steamy carriage scene and marry soon after. Colin’s pretty hurt to find out Penelope is Lady Whistledown, especially since he’s long hated the writer, but he eventually accepts her for who she is, and they fall even deeper in love.
In the book, Colin spends more time with Penelope and starts seeing her differently. He accidentally uncovers her secret and, while shocked and hurt she didn’t tell him, he’s also impressed by her wit and courage. They share their first kiss during an argument, but sadly, no carriage scene! Colin’s real struggle is the idea of marrying his best friend, while Penelope is terrified Colin won’t ever love her the way she loves him. But when her Lady Whistledown identity is at risk, Colin steps in to defend her, showing just how deep his love and loyalty go. This change reflects how Lady Whistledown plays a smaller role in the books, and her identity is not as sought after.
Eloise Bridgerton
Ends up with: Sir Phillip Crane
Now this is a book we’re really curious to see adapted for the Netflix show because we think it’s going to be a pretty big departure from the source material! In To Sir Phillip, With Love, Eloise (Claudia Jessie) starts writing letters to Sir Phillip after his wife (who’s also her distant cousin) passes away. She impulsively visits him, and even though they don’t hit it off right away, they start to develop mutual respect and eventually fall for each other. Eloise bonds with Phillip’s kids, and they end up building a new family together.
In Season 2, we saw Sir Phillip and his wife, Marina Featherington, who got pregnant by his late brother, when Colin visited the pair. The married pair live near the Bridgertons’ country estate, which could be setting the stage for this romance. However, Eloise has shown no real interest in marriage or motherhood, and up until now, the only romantic interest we’ve seen from her is for Theo, the printer’s apprentice.
Maybe that quick glimpse of Sir Philip was meant to set the stage for their romance, but honestly, we can’t picture the showrunners fully embracing Eloise’s unexpected turn into motherhood. Instead, we think her romance will be completely different from the books, and she’ll end up with someone who challenges her intellectually.
Francesca Bridgerton
Ends up with: John Stirling and then Michaela Stirling
Francesca’s (Hannah Dodd) story has been set up in Season 3 of Bridgerton, but we’re definitely in for some intriguing twists ahead! Quiet, reserved Francesca meets John Stirling (Victor Alli), and the two have a calm, respectful courtship that leads to their marriage by the end of the season.
This is where When He Was Wicked kicks off. Francesca’s first husband, John, dies unexpectedly, leaving her widowed. Enter Michael, John’s cousin and best friend, who’s a bit of a rake but fell for Francesca at first sight. Michael, consumed by guilt over his feelings for her and the pressure of inheriting his cousin’s title, disappears to India for years. When he comes back, their love deepens as they work through grief, guilt, and undeniable passion.
But in the Netflix adaptation, we meet Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), a bubbly woman who leaves Francesca completely speechless. Hmmm… intriguing, right?
Hyacinth Bridgerton
Ends up with: Gareth St. Clair
Once again, Quinn switched up the birth order and had Hyacinth’s (Florence Hunt) story come before Gregory’s, probably because women typically married younger in Regency England. In It’s in His Kiss, Hyacinth meets Gareth, a charming rake with a mysterious past. He asks for her help translating an old diary written in Italian by his grandmother, which holds clues to a hidden treasure. Hyacinth is intrigued by both the diary and the handsome man, so she agrees to help.
The treasure hunt brings them closer as they sneak into his dad’s house to search for the hidden jewels. This shared adventure ramps up the tension between them and shows just how compatible they are. Gareth carries a great deal of trauma from being illegitimate and dealing with his dad’s cruelty, but he realizes that Hyacinth accepts him just the way he is. He proposes, she accepts, and they both know they’re perfectly matched in wit and passion.
Hyacinth is currently far too young for this season to happen in a few years, so a time jump may be required for Netflix to adapt her and Gregory’s stories.
Gregory Bridgerton
Ends up with: Lady Lucinda Abernathy (Lucy)
The siblings’ stories wrap up in On the Way to the Wedding, which centers on Gregory (Will Tilston), the true romantic of the family who believes in love at first sight. He falls for Hermione Watson, a beautiful young woman who catches every guy’s attention. The only problem? Hermione is already in love with her family’s secretary, so she’s totally off-limits. Gregory’s not giving up, so he ropes in Hermione’s best friend, Lucy, to help.
As Gregory spends more time with both Hermione and Lucy, he starts realizing that he’s way more drawn to Lucy’s intelligence, humor, and practicality than Hermione’s beauty. Meanwhile, Lucy, who’s falling for Gregory herself, is engaged to Lord Haselby in an arranged marriage to secure her family’s future. She’s torn between her duty and her own happiness. The tension builds to a point where Gregory crashes Lucy’s wedding to Lord Haselby, declaring his love for her. Lucy hesitates, but then a big revelation — Haselby is secretly in love with men and doesn’t actually want to marry her — gives her the freedom she needs. She chooses Gregory, and they get married by the end of the novel, totally head over heels for each other.
Violet Bridgerton
Ends up with: Edmund Bridgerton and possibly Marcus Anderson
When Bridgerton Season 1 begins, Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) has been a single mother for years, having lost her beloved husband, Edmund Bridgerton, after he was stung by a bee. They had eight children together. Hyacinth was born after Edmund’s death.
In Season 3, we begin to see Violet entertain the idea of possibly opening her heart again. Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), Lady Danbury’s brother, catches her eye. Will Season 4 continue to explore their romantic connection? Time will tell!
Prudence Featherington
Ends up with: Harry Dankworth
Before Season 3 of Bridgerton, you likely would’ve seen this and exclaimed that you didn’t care about who those nasty Featherington sisters ended up with! Benedict may have the Cinderella adaptation, but Penelope certainly had the two nasty [step]sisters. But a great deal of focus was placed on Prudence and Philippa in Season 3, so we’re going to give their Bridgerton romances a mention as well.
After four seasons as a debutante, Prudence (Bessie Carter) finally found a husband. She was briefly engaged to her distant cousin, Jack Featherington, before her mother ran him out of town. In Season 3, we see Prudence with her new husband, Harry Dankworth (James Phoon), whom she met in the countryside off-season. Once they learn more about sexual intercourse from Portia, they can’t seem to get enough of each other, including at the hot air balloon launch. She gives birth to a daughter by the end of Season 3.
Prudence’s character is more prominent in the Netflix adaptation. In the book, she does not have a definitive romantic conclusion.
Philipa Featherington
Ends up with: Albion Finch
In both the books and series, Philipa (Harriet Cains) eventually marries Albion Finch (Lorn Macdonald), a cheerful but bland man who is passionate about cheese. She affectionately refers to him as “Albie.” This appears to be a love match, given how keen the pair are on each other, but Mr. Finch also provides wealth and status. She gives birth to a daughter by the end of Season 3. The Netflix adaptation expands on their relationship more than the book series does.
Edwina Sharma
Ends up with: Mr. Bagwell or ???
While we’re all relieved that Anthony and Kate ended up together, we can’t help but feel a little miffed for the younger Sharma sister. No one intended for her to be spurned in the face of true love, but it’s sad all the same. That’s why we wanted to round off this list of Bridgerton love stories with Edwina’s happily ever after to help you sleep more soundly at night.
In The Viscount Who Loved Me, Edwina ends up marrying the scholar Mr. Bagwell. While he is not a high-profile match like one of the Bridgerton men, he’s financially comfortable, and the pair get on well. They share plenty of common interests, such as reading and discussing those books — the dream!
But in Season 3 of the Netflix adaptation, it’s mentioned that Edwina has found a match abroad. Given that Mr. Bagwell was also in London in the books, it makes it likely that this is a deviation from the original story. Perhaps it is Prince Friedrich, who Queen Charlotte planned to set her up with at the end of Season 2, or it might be someone we haven’t met yet. Regardless of who it is, we know that Edwina has found the husband she was searching for!
Queen Charlotte
Ends up with: King George
In the show, Queen Charlotte (India Amarteifio) is married to King George III (Corey Mylchreest), but their relationship is complicated by his struggles with mental illness. Note: This is a reference to the real-life King George III. Despite these challenges, the series portrays moments of genuine affection and love between them, underscoring the enduring connection in their marriage.
The spinoff series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story dives deeper into their relationship. It explores their early years together, how they fell in love, and the sacrifices and obstacles they faced due to George’s illness and the pressures of the crown. This spinoff emphasizes Queen Charlotte’s continued devotion to her husband, despite his worsening condition.
Queen Charlotte is not a character in Quinn’s novels, but following the spinoff series, she wrote an accompanying novel to the same effect.
Ends up with: Lord Danbury *cough* Lord Ledger
Lady Danbury’s (Arsema Thomas) love life is not a major focus in Quinn’s Bridgerton book series, but her character is explored more deeply in the Netflix spinoff Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
The series reveals that Lady Danbury was married off to a much older man, Lord Danbury, as part of an arranged union. While her marriage gave her a prominent position in society, it lacked genuine affection or romance. She fulfils her duties but yearns for independence and deeper meaning in her life.
During the spinoff, Lady Danbury had a secret romantic connection with Violet Bridgerton’s father, Lord Ledger. This relationship offers her a glimpse of what love and partnership could truly mean, but societal constraints make it impossible for them to be together openly. Violet is aware of the relationship but only admits this to her friend decades later.
Brimsley
Ends up with: Reynolds
One final queer Bridgerton love story to round off the list! Brimsley (Sam Clemmett) is Queen Charlotte’s loyal secretary and confidant, overseeing her personal and political needs with precision and care. Meanwhile, Reynolds (Freddie Dennis) is King George III’s trusted valet, who similarly serves the king. Their positions often place them in close proximity, allowing them to grow closer despite their opposing sides on matters.
Brimsley and Reynolds share a secret relationship filled with tenderness and vulnerability. They share private dances, quiet conversations, and stolen glances, all underscored by the need for secrecy due to societal and professional constraints.
By the end of the series, it is revealed that Brimsley is alone in the present-day timeline (years after the events of Queen Charlotte). This suggests that Brimsley and Reynolds were separated or that their love story had a bittersweet ending.
