What’s Happening to the Characters Before Bridgerton Season 4?

While Benedict will be leading Bridgerton Season 4, he’s not the only family member with a busy love life. So while we wait to see where everyone’s passionate, scandalous, and surprising journeys take them next, let’s recap, with a little help from Brownell and the rest of the cast. And, if you want to catch up on all the weddings and breakups from the past few seasons, you can check out the recap here.

After years of being a widow, the most romantic mother in high society may be ready for someone to tend her garden. The widowed Viscountess has instant chemistry with Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), brother of Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh). In the Season 3 finale, Violet invites Marcus to Francesca’s (Hannah Dodd) engagement and dances with him at the Dankworth-Finch Ball.

Anthony and Kate Bridgerton
In the later episodes of Season 3, the viscount and viscountess travel to India to prepare for the birth of their first child. As with their honeymoon, Anthony leaves the viscount’s duties to his eldest brother Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson).

Benedict Bridgerton
The Season 4 star returns to Mayfair with a whole new understanding of himself. Through his relationships with Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New) and Paul Suarez (Lucas Aurelio), Benedict discovers that he has more romantic potential than he expected. It doesn’t matter if “Patricia, Polly, Peter or all three at once” is in front of him.

“His identity is a little bit in doubt, but it never really seems to bother him,” Thompson told Tudum. “It often feels like… ‘You’re either this or you’re that.’ He’s figuring it out.”

But, Brownell explains, Benedict is “much more open” than his peers. “Season 3 also puts him in a place where he’s really discovering more sides of himself,” she says. “I think he feels things very deeply.” As Bridgerton taught us, every great romantic hero needs to connect with his truest emotions.
Colin and Penelope Bridgerton
The central lovers of Season 3 got their happily ever after. Penelope revealed herself as Lady Whistledown (with Queen Charlotte’s blessing), married her longtime crush, and became the mother of the next Lord Featherington. Colin is basking in his wife’s brilliance and also enjoying his own writing success, with the publication of his book, Traveling with Myself.

Newton and Coughlan are looking forward to seeing Polin bask in their joy. “As you go through your season, there are always twists and turns because it’s so much fun,” Newton told Tudum. “But once you have your moment, it’ll be great to see how they navigate married life. It’ll be a comfort to them and they’ll really enjoy it.”

But there’s still the possibility that some scandal could lurk in Season 4. As Penelope points out, the Queen’s (Golda Rosheuvel) favor could disappear at any moment as she continues to write Lady Whistledown under her own name. “Lady Whistledown has been Penelope the whole time,” Coughlan said. “She’s finally accepted, ‘Yes, that’s me. And you know what? I’m really proud of that. Look what I’ve accomplished.’ She’s holding her own. It’s great.”

So with royal eyes on her, “it’s never going to be just peace and quiet,” Newton says. “I can’t wait to see what happens with all that.”

Eloise Bridgerton
Eloise (Claudia Jessie) enters Season 4 curious about what else the world has to offer. She spent Season 3 giving her all to people, and still finds the balls and lemonade lacking. So she decides to accompany Francesca and her new husband, Lord John Stirling (Victor Alli), to the latter’s prime estate in Scotland. Jessie credits a season of Penelope’s friendship-free socializing with giving Eloise the independence she needs for the trip.

“It’s the courage it takes for her to then say, ‘I’m going to Scotland with my sister, forever the third wheel,’ ” Jessie told Tudum.

Francesca and John Stirling
Scotland is welcoming a new couple. Francesca and John will be heading to the Highlands with Eloise… and John’s cousin, Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), a gender-swapped version of Michael Stirling, who appeared in the book When He Was Wicked.

“People who read the Bridgerton books will know what it means for Francesca to meet Michaela at the end of Season 3,” Brownell said. “You’ll have to wait and see what we do with that in the future.”