If you’re as obsessed with Bridgerton as we are, you’ve likely been sat watching and rewatching part 1 of season 3, replaying the best moments and learning the best quotes by heart. And now that the trailer for part 2 has officially dropped, we are beyond ready to see the remainder of Colin and Penelope’s love story play out.
The cliffhanger ending of Bridgerton season 3 part 1 left our jaws on the floor, imbuing us with a newfound appreciation for carriage rides and cake alike. With Colin’s long-awaited, but much-appreciated love confession and Penelope finally taking the reins on her own life, fans of the couple ‘Polin’ found themselves stunned at the actual perfection of the scene, how it was filmed, and how it came to be on our screens.
Across social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, fans of the Bridgerton series and books are now attempting to decode potential leaks and spoilers, trying to glean the tiniest bit of information for Polin’s upcoming nuptials in part 2. And while this author is not personally averse to spoilers, she does not wish to ruin the viewing experience come June 13, 2024.
What’s next for Colin and Penelope?
Part 1 of Bridgerton season 3 ended with a realisation that has been a long time coming. With the help of Bridgerton matriarch Violet (portrayed by the lovely Ruth Gemmell), Colin (portrayed by Luke Newton) finally gathers up the courage to stand up for what (and who) he wants.
In a high-stakes episode poignantly balancing the regimented societal rules of the Regency era with friendship, love, and duty, Colin finally acknowledges his feelings for his longtime friend Penelope (portrayed by the icon and legend Nicola Coughlan). It does not take overly long for him to act upon these feelings; a short while after coming to his senses, Colin makes his way to the Quen’s Ball, shamelessly intercepting Penelope on the dance floor as she gears up to accept a proposal from season 3’s appointed third wheel, our beloved veggie-eating Lord Alfred Debling.
And while the third-eldest Bridgerton could have certainly chosen a better time and place to express his feelings and proclaim his love, we can’t deny that the resultant scene made for some engaging television. To the sight of Colin professing his love, we clutched our pearls, stifled our wistful sighs, and looked to the heavens to ask the powers that be about when we would receive our very own carriage scene confessions.
With the friend-to-lovers romance culminating in Colin’s proposal to Penelope, part 1 expertly sets the stage for the enemies-to-lovers romance that is certain to take centre stage in part 2. Having sworn to destroy Lady Whistledown’s life at the closing of episode 1, Colin is definitely in for an unpleasant surprise.
Part 2 is likely to chronicle an intriguing game of cat-and-mouse as Colin, Eloise, Cressida, the Queen, and Penelope all butt heads regarding the identity of Lady Whistledown. Given the short teaser that aired at the end of episode 4, the upcoming episodes are certain to explore Colin’s reaction to learning that Penelope is the person behind Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers.
In addition to the shocking reveal, Colin will come to the realisation that it was Penelope who unveiled the pregnancy and dastardly plans of Miss Marina Thompson, his season 1 paramour. While Whistledown’s exposé unequivocally saved Colin from being baby trapped in a marriage, his actions since then have suggested a certain level of vitriol held for the town gossipmonger. Add onto that Eloise’s determination that Penelope be unveiled as Whistledown, at least to Colin, and fans are certainly in for an explosive watch.
Moments we’re most excited to see from the Bridgerton season 3 part 2 trailer
The trailer for part 2 picks up where the teaser had previously left off, with Penelope and Eloise at odds over the former’s identity as Lady Whistledown. While the newly unveiled footage does not reveal any startling new information, we are shown glimpses of the two former best friends duking it out, with Eloise reaffirming her threat (as shown in the teaser) to apprise Colin of Penelope’s secret identity.
Meanwhile, an increasingly anxious Colin urges Penelope to share her secret with him, having discerned for himself that there is more to his new bride than meets the eye.
Evidently, the drama reaches a crescendo at Colin’s discovery of Penelope’s secret, and we can hardly wait to watch the very scene in which he cries, eyes sparkling, “Then what good am I to you?”
June 13 cannot come soon enough.
Thankfully, the trailer isn’t all drama; some aww-worthy moments do emerge in the quagmire of footage, including Penelope’s confession that she has always loved Colin, followed by the happy couple dancing in a church. We are shown quick glimpses of Mr. Finch being the world’s best supportive brother-in-law, Francesca and John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin’s budding romance, and even Violet herself taking to the dance floor with Lord Marcus Anderson, who, if you’ll recall, is Lady Danbury’s estranged brother.
Most notably, we see the eldest Bridgerton boys — Anthony, Benedict, and Colin sharing a familial, brotherly moment, with Anthony’s protective stripes surfacing briefly as he comes to the realisation that Colin may have dishonoured his bride-to-be (In this house, we stan protective big brother Anthony).
Ever the comedic relief, Benedict’s well-timed query, “Are you going to duel with your own brother?” lends levity to the scene, which brings us all back to the core of the show: The Bridgerton family is one of unending love and devotion to one another. With Penelope sinking into Violet’s embrace at the announcement of her engagement, it also bears noting that this will truly be a family that she is comfortable in; a family that will not make her feel small, unimportant, and unloved beyond what she can bring to the table.
While there is yet more drama to be had before the happily-ever-afters are doled out for the season, we can only echo what Lady Danbury has to say: Who needs fresh air, when you have fresh gossip? And while we find ourselves on the outside looking in, part 2 is shaping up to be an epic adventure that we simply cannot wait to see.
In anticipation of the next instalment of Bridgerton season 3, we take a retrospective look back at the best quotes, top moments, funny scenes, and most romantic speeches in part 1.
The best quotes and moments from Bridgerton season 3
Lady Whistledown talks up all the wallflowers
The charming opening scenes of Bridgerton season 3 find the ton abuzz with the return of Mayfair’s most prominent families to town, the Featheringtons included. Most notably, Lady Whistledown hypes up the season’s wallflowers, casting light upon debutantes who may have otherwise been relegated to the lower rungs of society’s most eligible bachelorettes.
Ironically, and in a cruel twist of fate, these same women end up making fun of Penelope one episode later, casting undue judgment and unkind comments towards her following Eloise’s accidental reveal that she had sought Colin’s help to secure a husband. And if the injustice made your blood boil, worry not — you’re not alone.
Penelope’s Cinderella-coded entrance at the Seasons Ball
Ask any ’90s kid who harbours an unhealthy obsession with romantic comedies and they will tell you that few scenes live rent-free in their minds the way classic ballroom entrances do. Think Hilary Duff’s masked ball arrival in A Cinderella Story (2004), Rachael Leigh Cook’s sultry walk down the stairs in She’s All That (1999), and Drew Barrymore’s ethereal ballroom entrance in Ever After (1998).
Taking its cues from the romantic comedies that have given us many swoon-worthy scenes, Bridgerton brilliantly recreates this moment with Penelope’s entrance at the Four Seasons Ball. Bolstered by her extreme makeover, Penelope’s ballroom entrance is as stunning as it is empowering for viewers who have long dreamed of seeing a more diverse range of bodies in leading lady roles. We especially loved seeing Mr. Finch play the part of a supportive brother-in-law, a huge grin adorning his features as he watches her descend with pride. Add that onto Colin’s own reaction, and you have a scene that sets the stage for a season we won’t forget anytime soon.
Anthony and Kate commiserate over their responsibilities
In season 2, Anthony and Kate bonded over their assumed responsibilities and roles as the heads of their families. Both suffered gravely at the deaths of their fathers, with whom they had cultivated close bonds. Both set aside their own grieving for the sake of their families, stepping up to lead while they were no more than children themselves. While Anthony had his family’s standing, reputation, and survival thrust upon his shoulders, Kate found herself beset by financial constraints. The duo are essentially two sides of the same coin, and their union is made all the stronger for their shared life experiences.
In season 3, the newlyweds decide to take an extended honeymoon, choosing themselves for once. And while this is evidently a plot device to ‘put them on the bus’, it also serves as an indication of their growth as characters, who, by all intents and purposes, have finally realised that they deserve to rest.
Pen and Colin talk about their first meeting
During their first courtship lesson in a sunny curio marketplace, Pen and Colin take a walk down memory lane to their very first meeting. While we do not see a flashback to their adorable meet-cute, the script provides more than enough context. Coupled with Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan’s stellar performances, the conversation between the duo allows the audience to imagine the event with much delight.
The incident of their first meeting is also a wonderful callback to the original Bridgerton novel Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. As per the book, Colin and Penelope first meet on a windy day, when he is knocked off his horse by her straying bonnet. As you might expect, it’s all very cute, proffering all the rom-com vibes we’ve grown to love in this season.
The Featheringtons discuss how babies come to be
The Featheringtons have long served as entertaining foils for the dignity and wealth of the Bridgertons. Where the Bridgertons are seen as classy and elegant, the Featheringtons are often relegated to comical positions, weathering misfortunes from the death of the first Lord Featherington to the unscrupulous business dealings of the second Lord Featherington.
Through it all, Portia Featherington has proven to be a mastermind of great wit and intellect, leveraging her mother’s love and ferocity to secure the futures of her daughters. In this scene, which combines comedic relief and commentary on the lack of sexual education offered to women at the time, the veneer of Portia’s steadfastness amidst tribulation finally cracks, with the woman offering an exasperated, “Why must I be punished over and over?”
Polin’s first kiss, plus Rae’s criminally offensive side eye
If there’s one person who won’t be surprised at the announcement of Colin and Penelope’s engagement, it’s chief Polin shipper Rae. A new addition to the Featheringtons’ home, Rae is Penelope’s Lady’s Maid, and is responsible for Pen’s new hairdos. It is due to her that the couple are able to enjoy time together for their lessons, away from the prying eyes of society.
Following Penelope and Colin’s public scandal as published on Lady Whistledown, Colin makes his way over to the Featherington house in the cloak of night. There, he bribes Rae to fetch Penelope. The duo shares a tender first kiss, framed by soft candlelight and the light of the moon, leaving Colin in love, Polin shippers breathless, and Rae with the sneaking suspicion that she may soon become Lady’s Maid to Mrs Colin Bridgerton.
