Penelope's Secret Hangs Over Her Future in 'Bridgerton' Season 3, Part 2

Despite Bridgerton Season 3 being something of a victim of Netflix's inability to admit the binge model doesn't work the way it wants it to, fans who turned in for the first half and were left on an enormous cliffhanger have been wild for the back half of the season to start. Between rumored spoilers about the conclusion, questions about how the series plans to work out the Lady Whistledown reveal, and just needing more after that carriage scene, the entire fandom has been on pins and needles for any footage from the final four episodes. Thankfully, with June now officially here, the Bridgerton Season 3, Part 2 trailer has arrived, and, boy, howdy, does Penelope Featherington have problems.

Warning: Spoilers for Bridgerton Season 3, Part 1 follow.

Penelope Featherington just had her childhood dream come true. Colin Bridgerton, the object of her every crush for years, has fallen in love with her. (After she gave up on him, but you know, that's always the way it goes.) Now, there's been a carriage, ahem... incident, shall we say? ....which Colin has taken to mean wedded bliss is about to descend, right after Penelope says yes to his proposal. It's all she's ever wanted, right? Of course, she'll say yes.

There's just one small...ok, a rather large secret business that Penelope runs that's going to get in the way. After all, Colin has decided he hates Lady Whistledown; she's made unkind (though very correct) remarks about him and the rest of his family, and she practically ruined Eloise. What happens when Colin figures out the love of his life and the woman he's sworn to hate are, in fact, the same person? 

Here's the season three synopsis, which doesn't really give fans much to go on for the second half.

From Shondaland and new showrunner, Jess Brownell, Bridgerton is back for its third season and finds Penelope Featherington has finally given up on her long-held crush on Colin Bridgerton after hearing his disparaging words about her last season. She has, however, decided it’s time to take a husband, preferably one who will provide her with enough independence to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from her mother and sisters. But lacking in confidence, Penelope’s attempts on the marriage mart fail spectacularly. Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels with a new look and a serious sense of swagger. But he’s disheartened to realize that Penelope, the one person who always appreciated him as he was, is giving him the cold shoulder. 

Eager to win back her friendship, Colin offers to mentor Penelope in the ways of confidence to help her find a husband this season. But when his lessons start working a little too well, Colin must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly. Complicating matters for Penelope is her rift with Eloise, who has found a new friend in a very unlikely place, while Penelope’s growing presence in the ton makes it all the more difficult to keep her Lady Whistledown alter ego a secret.

The problem with said synopsis is that it fails to cover the other Bridgerton couple that looks as if it might be heading to the altar, Francesca and her perfect acceptable suitor, John Stirling, the 8th Earl of Kilmartin. Book readers have an idea of what's coming with this one, but for those meeting members of the Stirling family for the first time, Francesca's drive to marry someone she doesn't love but will give her a quiet life clearly must be headed somewhere... the only question is if she and John will grow to love each other, or if complications will arise.

And then, of course, there's the Cressida Cowper situation with Eloise. The questions about Cressida's sexuality (and Eloise's, for that matter) have been rife in Season 3. However, those who read the books before Season 1 have known Eloise's eventual intended has been here the whole time, while those who looked up who-ends-up-with-who in the Happily Ever After are starting to catch on that there's a minor character who may not be so minor for long. 

Season 3, Part 2 sees the return of Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton as this season's central couple Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton, plus the rest of the Bridgerton clan (save Daphne and Simon). That includes Ruth Gemmell as matriarch Lady Violet; Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley as the Viscount & Viscountess Anthony and Kate Bridgerton; plus the still-unmarried siblings, Luke Thompson as Benedict, Claudia Jessie as Eloise, Hannah Dodd as Francesca, Will Tilston as Gregory, and Florence Hunt as Hyacinth. 

Other cast members returning for Season 3 include Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte), Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury), Polly Walker (Portia Featherington), Lorraine Ashbourne (Mrs. Varley), Harriet Cains (Philipa Featherington-Finch), Lorn Macdonald (Albion Finch), Bessie Carter (Prudence Featherington-Dankworth), James Phoon (Harry Dankworth), Jessica Madsen (Cressida Cowper), Martins Imhangbe (Will Mondrich), Victor Alli (John Stirling), and Julie Andrews (the Voice of Lady Whistledown). 

Bridgerton Season 3, Part 2 debuts with all four episodes on Thursday, June 13, 2024. Season 4 is already heading into production.