Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews) has been reporting all of the ton drama since the Netflix series debuted in 2020. From quarrels to longing glances to juicy gossip, Lady Whistledown’s quill has been ready to write it all down every social season. But will that continue after Bridgerton Season 3?
Viewers have been aware that Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) is the person behind Lady Whistledown since the big reveal at the end of Season 1. Eloise (Claudia Jessie) learned the truth the following season, causing an intense rift between the best friends.
Season 3 is based on Romancing Mister Bridgerton, the fourth book in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton book series, and follows Penelope and Colin’s (Luke Newton) love story. With Part 2 just days away, what could the future hold for Lady Whistledown? Let’s break down what we know so far.
What do the books tell us about Lady Whistledown?
In Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Lady Danbury offers a reward to anyone who can unmask Lady Whistledown. Needing money, Cressida falsely claims that she’s behind the pen. This infuriates Penelope, who has been a victim of Cressida’s harsh words for years.
Colin initially believes that Eloise is Lady Whistledown, but he does find out that Penelope is the author after following her as she drops off her last edition. He confronts her about it, and she’s forced to explain everything. This leads to the very steamy carriage scene that book readers know and love.
At Penelope and Colin’s engagement party, a new Lady Whistledown column arrives. The latest edition publicly bashes Cressida for claiming she’s Lady Whistledown. While Colin is upset, Penelope stresses to him that she has to protect what she’s created. She doesn’t want anyone taking credit for her hard work. Penelope is convinced that Colin is ashamed of her being Lady Whistledown, but he later reveals that he’s jealous of what Penelope’s accomplished. Penelope urges Colin to publish his travel writings.
Towards the end of the book, Cressida figures out that Penelope is Lady Whistledown and attempts to blackmail her. Colin protects his now-wife and rallies the Bridgertons to help him take down Cressida. Romancing Mister Bridgerton ends with Colin revealing to the entire ton that Penelope is Lady Whistledown.
How has Bridgerton Season 3 dealt with the Lady Whistledown secret?
In Part 1 of Season 3, Colin doesn’t find out about Lady Whistledown prior to the carriage scene. Colin doesn’t follow Penelope to a church and discover her secret like he does in the book. He confesses his feelings for Penelope in the carriage when he thinks he’s going to lose her to Lord Debling (Sam Phillips), who is a new character created for the series.
As of the end of Part 1, Eloise (Claudia Jessie) and Madame Delacroix (Kathryn Drysdale) are the only ones who know that Penelope is Lady Whistledown.
What does this mean for Lady Whistledown in future seasons of Bridgerton?
After Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Lady Whistledown does not appear in any more Bridgerton books focusing on the love stories of the Bridgerton siblings.
Romancing Mister Bridgerton is the fourth story in the Bridgerton book series, but it’s the third season of the show. Since Benedict’s book, An Offer From a Gentleman, is the third in the book series, Lady Whistledown is still very much a part of the narrative since the revelation isn’t made until the fourth book.
If Benedict’s book is the center of Season 4—which could also focus on Eloise or Francesca’s love stories—the series could hold off on the Lady Whistledown reveal until next season. Sophie Beckett, Benedict’s love interest, is a fan of Lady Whistledown’s column, so it would be a shock to see it eliminated entirely.
Penelope could pass the quill on to someone else, or the Bridgertons could help her keep it a secret. Hey, maybe Colin and Penelope will team up and write the column together!
