Bridgerton Season 3 Release Dates: An Easter Egg or a Coincidence?

In December 2023 we got the long awaited release date(s) for Bridgerton Season 3, and much to the disappointment of some, not only do we have to wait until May 2024 for the release, but it is being released in two parts.  The first part of Bridgerton season 3 is to be released on 16 May 2024, and the second part on 13 June 2024.  

Image via Bridgerton Official Social Media

In general these dates don't mean much, except for being late spring in the Northern Hemisphere (astronomical summer begins around 20 June).  However, it is generally considered in the fandom that nothing about Bridgerton is random, and everything is done deliberately - including the release dates.  The first season was released on 25 December, the second season was also on the 25th, this time March.  Queen Charlotte was released in May, but even that seems deliberate as the date of release was two days before the coronation of King Charles III, the first coronation in the United Kingdom for 70 years.  So, why 16 May and 13 June for season 3?  These are dates that seem to have no meaning at all, and for many in the fandom an early May release (or even late April release) seemed more logical, either to keep with using the 25th day of the month (25 April for example), or to tie in with the season before (2 May being two days before the anniversary of the Queen Charlotte release).  To move the release date to the middle of the month appears to abandon the meaningfulness previous dates have had, until you factor in the books, season 2 (and possibly season 4), and finally some meaning is brought to the release dates.  

Let's begin with the release date for part 1, 16 May.  This date is specifically referenced in only one book, The Viscount Who Loved Me, which was the inspiration for Bridgerton season 2.  In the second book of the series, on 16 May 1814, Lady Whistledown writes: 

"The deed is done! Miss Sheffield is now Katharine, Viscountess Bridgerton.  This Author extends the very best of wishes to the happy couple.  Sensible and honorable [sic] people are surely scarce  among the ton, and it's certainly gratifying to see two of this rare breed joined in marriage." 

We have no exact date of Kate and Anthony's wedding, but within in the Kanthony fandom it is believed that they married on 14 May in The Viscount Who Loved Me, two days before the announcement in Lady Whistledown, and it is the week in which 14 May falls that the fan week for Kate and Anthony is held within fandom spaces online.  This year Kate and Anthony Week takes place in the week 13-19 May, meaning that the release of Bridgerton season 3 part 1 is released during Kate and Anthony week.  

The second part of season 3 is releasing on 13 June.  As with the first release date, this date is also specifically referenced in only one book, this time An Offer From a Gentleman - Benedict and Sophie's book.   Lady Whistledown writes about both Penelope and Sophie on this date in the book. The entry reads: 

"La, but such excitement yesterday on the front steps of Lady Bridgerton's residence on Bruton Street!  First, Penelope Featherington was seen in the company of not one, not two, but THREE Bridgerton brothers, surely a heretofore impossible feat for the poor girl, who is rather infamous for her wallflower ways.  Sadly (but perhaps predictably) for Miss Featherington, when she finally departed, it was on the arm of the viscount, the only married man in the bunch.  If Miss Featherington were to somehow manage to drag a Bridgerton brother to the altar, it would surely mean the end of the world as we know it, and This Author, who freely admits she would not know heads from tails in such a world, would be forced to resign her post on the spot.   

If Miss Featherington's gathering weren't enough gossip, not three hours later, a woman was accosted right in front of the town house by the Countess of Kenwood, who lives three doors down.  It seems the woman, who This Author suspects was working in the Bridgerton household, used to work for Lady Kenwood.  Lady Kenwood alleges that the unidentified woman stole from her two years ago and immediately had the poor thing carted off to jail.  This Author is not certain what the punishment is these days for theft, but one has to suspect that if one has the audacity to steal from a countess, the punishment is quite strict.  The poor girl in question is likely to be hanged, or at the very least, find herself transported.  The previous housemaid wars (reported last month in This Column) seem rather trivial now."

The other thing to note about this date is that, as with the first date falling in the middle of the Kate and Anthony fan week, this date falls in the middle of Benophie fan week run in online fandom spaces. 

So the question is, were these dates chosen deliberately for release due to these reasons? Is this an easter egg for fans and hinting at Benedict being season 4 by releasing Penelope and Colin's season on dates associated with the couples whose season will bookmark them (Kanthony before and Benophie after)? Maybe, maybe not. Netflix are not unaware of the fan weeks, it has been flagged to them multiple times and they have posted more than once in support of the Polin fan week, so it is not inconceivable that they will do something for the Kate and Anthony week or the Benophie week. 

Of course the most likely scenario is that this is nothing more than a coincidence on the part of Netflix, but it is nice to imagine that Netflix did it deliberately and will also acknowledge the fan weeks of other couples, not just Polin, as it will help the perception that they are only interested in Polin and all the underlying connotations that has, and may go a way to enticing back the Benophie and Kanthony fans who are looking to abandon Bridgerton due to Netflix (and productions) perceived bias towards Polin. 

Bridgerton Season 3: First Look at Polin Part II

For Christmas 2023 Bridgerton released a number of images, most of which I have already discussed, one of these images was of Penelope and Colin, the third still of Penelope and Colin that has been released.  The first two stills were released in June 2023, and were discussed in my previous post.  In this post I will look at the third image of Penelope and Colin to have been released.  

Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

This image is from episode 2, and again shows Penelope and Colin on friendly terms, suggesting that any distance between Penelope and Colin that may have been caused from Colin's words - or even Penelope's fight with Eloise - has been resolved in the first episode, or perhaps early on in the second episode.  

Setting: 

The still is an evening scene that appears to be a ball, and based on the look of the building behind them it is most likely from the filming at Osterley Park as per the leaks during the summer of 2022.   In this leaked image below I have indicated where I think the scene this still is from mostly likely was located.  

Image Credit: Splash News via Daily Mail

Whilst this looks like an extravagant ball, the colour scheme we see in the leaked images is interesting, the purple and white is the same colours we see the Bridgerton staff in, which suggests it could be a Bridgerton hosted event, but there are also some indicators that it may not be.  

1. In another leaked image from the filming (see below) we see the Bridgerton Carriage on set, now if the show were using Osterley Park to represent a part of Bridgerton House for a ball, then the Bridgerton carriage would not be required as this suggests that the Bridgertons had to travel to the ball.  
2. In season 2 the main colours in the flower arrangements at the two Bridgerton Hosted Balls were Pink and White, not purple, in fact with the exception of the Wisteria the colours of the flowers around the Bridgertons tend to be more pink and white than purple.  

Image Credit: Splash News via Daily Mail

Of course with everything there are other alternatives, and it is still possible that the ball is hosted by the Bridgertons, despite the above points, as it is possible the ball was held in a different location, and that the new Viscountess has added some new colours into the flower arrangements.  

Another possibility is that it could be Lady Danbury's Ball, but I think this is unlikely, as it has been established she hosts the first ball of the season, and it usually occurrs in the first episode of the season, however there is one more possibility - and that is that it is the Queen's Ball.  I think this is a possibility based on the celestial theme the ball appears to have.  It was established in Queen Charlotte that the King has a fascination with astronomy, and thus a ball hosted by the Queen with a theme connecting to this would be understandable, and a nice call back to the Queen Charlotte series.  We see that the flower arrangement on the window behind Penelope and Colin appears to be in the shape of a crescent moon, and Penelope's necklace appears to include a star - or celestial - pattern, so could this be the new 'diamond ball'?  

Alternatively this may be a ball that is hosted by a new family, such as the Stirlings, or perhaps it is hosted by an already established family we have not really seen much of - such as the Cowpers.  

Looks: 

Penelope: 

We see Penelope in a light green dress with silver detailing in a floral pattern.  As mentioned above her necklace appears to be stars - or celestial in theme.  Penelope's gloves are the same colour as her dress, but sheer and with sequins.  Overall this again is a lovely colour on Penelope,  and if this is her colour scheme from now on it is one that will fit into the Bridgertons aesthetic nicely without looking out of place within the family colours.  

Penelope's hair is up, with some soft waves around her face, this is a much more period appropriate hairstyle than we have seen previously, it isn't anachronistic to the time, nor is it infantilising of Penelope.  As the image is front on it is hard to tell what - if any - hair adornment she may be wearing, though it is likely that it is something more subtle and less ostentatious than what we have seen in the past seasons.  

Colin:  

As to be expected, we see Colin in standard evening wear of dark trousers, a dark jacket, with a white shirt and white cravat.  From what is visible of his waistcoat, it appears to be cream and gold in colour - very much the same as Anthony's colour scheme from season 2.  

As far as Colin's look, the most noticeable thing that has stood out to many fans is the bandage on Colin's hand, perhaps indicating that a particular scene in the book happens in the show.   The question is if this scene is the one from the book that many are anticipating, where does it happen, and does it happen like in the book?  With how the producers of Bridgerton have changed much of the source material for the show, it is difficult to know if this scene will be a word for word, action for action, copy of the book, or if it will be significantly different.  The scene in question takes place in the Bridgerton home between Penelope and Colin, and with Penelope's fight with Eloise, that may either move the scene, or have the scene between Colin and a different character, all will be answered in just over 3 months.  

Pose: 

In this still, we again see Colin and Penelope standing side by side, however, in this still they are both looking forward, and not at each other, what they are looking at is anyone's guess, however, based on Penelope's expression it appears to be something interesting that could end up in the next Lady Whistledown column.  

Colin looks mildly interested in whatever they are looking at, maybe viewing something Penelope has pointed out to him as opposed something that they both noticed independently.  I suggest that it is Penelope that pointed this out as we have seen her in this role previously - pointing something out to Colin.  

So what do you think?  Who do you think could be hosting the ball?  What do you think Penelope and Colin might be looking at?  

Bridgerton Season 3: First Look at Polin Part I

I am going to round off the look at the first stills from Bridgerton season 3 with a look at the Polin stills that have been released.  The first two Polin stills were released just after the Tudum event in June 2023, both are from the second episode.  The first of the images appears to be from a scene in a market, whilst the second image appears to be a night scene outside, most likely outside the Featherington House, I will look at these two stills first. 

Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

Market Scene: 

Looks: 

Penelope:

This scene is set post 'glow up'  (or makeover) of Penelope.  What we see with Penelope is an overall look that is youthful and fresh, a very pretty look for her, which in part is her dress, but mostly I think down to her hairstyle.  

Whilst Penelope's hair style in this picture is not as anachronistic as the one in the solo picture I discussed previously, it still doesn't feel Regency, or even fantasy Regency, further I do feel that this hairstyle is designed to infantilise her a bit as it has more the feel of a young child than a woman in her third season.  However, in saying that I do like it more than other hairstyles I have seen on her.  Another thing to note, and it is hard to know if it is actuality or a case of the lighting, but the colour of this wig does feel to be a different shade of red to the previous season 3 image I looked at with Penelope.  The colour here appears to be brighter and redder.  The final thing to note with her hair is that it looks like it could be considerably shorter than in the other image.  This inconsistency in the colour/length of the wigs feels like there hasn't been a lot of thought put into continuity, though of course it may play out differently in the show, as this is a snapshot in time with no context.  Please note that this criticism is not of Penelope (or even Nicola), but of the styling choices around her hairstyles.  

Moving on to Penelope's dress in this picture, I like it.  The dress itself appears to be a simple design, in a light green with very short sheer sleeves, this is paired with a greyish green Spencer jacket with sheer puff sleeves.  The jacket is embellished with a floral design in shades of green.  On the shoulder is a green decoration that matches the adornment in her hair.  Overall I hope to see them stay with the softer greens for Penelope through this season and beyond, they certainly suit her much better than the yellows and bright greens of seasons past.  

Colin: 

With Colin, we see him wearing what appears to be the same brown jacket he was wearing in the first image of him released, which is believed to be his return from travelling.  

The jacket is paired with a white shirt, a fawn/coffee coloured cravat and a waistcoat that has the base colour of Bridgerton Blue, but with brown buttons and pattern.  The pattern on his waistcoat appears to be floral in design, my first thought was it could be dandelions, but I think it possibly isn't that. 

 

Pose: 

In this still we see Penelope and Colin standing side by side, possibly at a market stall, but it is hard to say, they both have their heads turned towards the other with Colin looking down to Penelope and Penelope looking up to Colin.  Penelope has a smile, and a sense of excitement in her expression, perhaps happy and excited to see Colin.  Colin has a half smile, and potentially looks a little unsure, though at what it is hard to know.  

Possible Scene: 

The way they are looking at each other, and the fact that this is the early part of the season, makes for an interesting time speculating what this scene could be about.  Is it the first time they have seen each other since Colin's return? Possible, but I am not sure, as this is in episode 2, I can't imagine that they went the whole of episode 1 without seeing each other, especially as it seems that Colin returns at the beginning of episode 1.  There is another possibility, and that is Penelope is gossiping a little with Colin - we have seen her do this previously, and maybe he is beginning to suspect her as either Lady Whistledown or as a source for Lady Whistledown, perhaps after something that Eloise has said.  

Image Credit:  Liam Daniel/Netflix

Night Scene:

Looks: 

Penelope: 

Penelope looks to be in the same dress as in the solo still I looked at earlier.  In this still we get a closer look at her dress, and I note that on a closer look her dress is a green and silver with the sheer overlay.  The colouring on her bodice has an almost a pearl look to it in the shades of green and silver, and brings to mind (for me) a New Zealand Paua (Abalone) shell, if without the deeper colours.

New Zealand Paua Shell

The sheer overlay appears to be coloured more in the sleeves than over the bodice, and still appears to be a bronze, or gold, colour.  

Again, we see her hair down in a style that could be from the 1940s, and is certainly not in a style a young lady in the Regency period would wear her hair, especially not alone with a man who was not her husband.

Colin: 

We don't get a good look at Colin, only seeing him from behind, but he appears to be wearing the same brown jacket in the other image, and when he arrived back from his travels.  It is hard to know what he is wearing otherwise, however, it is safe to assume he is not dressed in evening wear with the brown jacket on.  

Pose: 

In this image we see Colin leaning into Penelope, though from what is discernible from his expression it is most likely not a romantic scene.  Colin looks serious, and perhaps a little concerned.  

We have a better look at Penelope, and she looks a little upset, and it looks as though she has been crying - or at least is about to, as it appears there are tears forming in her eyes.  

The closeness of their bodies indicates that if there was any distance from Penelope after Colin's words in season 2 it is resolved quickly and they are growing closer by episode 2.  

Possible Scene: 

This leads to the inevitable question, what could be happening in this scene?  

Without knowing much about where this still fits in with the other episode 2 stills it is hard to speculate, however, there are a couple of possibilities, one of which would indicate a much faster moving storyline than in the previous two seasons. 

The first possibility is that this could be connected to Lady Whistledown, more specifically if Colin has suspicions or has somehow discovered Penelope's secret.  This ties in with the still we see of Colin with what appears to be a Lady Whistledown newsletter.  If it is this, then the Lady Whistledown storyline could move very quickly and be tied up at a much earlier stage in the season, rather than it being dragged out for the whole 8 episodes.  

The second possibility is from the books, and it could be related to Penelope having been reading something from Colin (if they stick to the writer Colin storyline).  This would tie into the other Polin still that has been released (which I will be looking at more in a few days), where we see Colin with a bandage.  However, if this is the case where would it happen?  If Penelope and Eloise are still on the outs what reason would Penelope have to be at Bridgerton House?  Something to ponder.  

The third possibility is that it is related to Penelope's failure with attracting a suitor.  Penelope's dress could be a ball gown of sorts, so could be after a ball, however, Colin does not appear to be dressed for a ball, but also why would Penelope have her hair down for a ball?  It is possible that something else occurred, or Colin overheard something at his club, which is related to Penelope attempting to find a suitor. 

There are two other possibilities, and that is this scene is somehow centred around Eloise, with Colin and Penelope discussing the situation between the two former friends.  Alternatively (though from some of what has been said unlikely), this is connected to Marina, perhaps Penelope has discovered Marina's fate, and is telling Colin.  

What do you think this scene is about?  Do you think that Colin will find out about Lady Whistledown by episode 2?  

Bridgerton Season 3: First Look at Penelope

After the Tudum event in Brazil last June, 4 images from season 3 were released, including the only solo one of Penelope to date. This image is from episode 2.  In this image of Penelope we see her post 'glow up' or makeover if you will, so let's have a closer look at the image.  

Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

Setting: 

First, the setting.  We see Penelope sitting at the window, most likely in her bedroom.  There are two reasons I think this is in Penelope's bedroom.  The first is that the curtains appear to be the same as those we see in Penelope's room at the end of season 2.  The second reason is that the brief amount of the colour scheme we see is slightly different to that of the Featherington home, but from the small glimpse in the image, it appears to be what we have seen of Penelope's bedroom. 

Look: 

I have mixed views on this look. I love the dress, it is a beautiful seafoam with what appears to be a bronze sheer overlay. The colour of the dress suits Penelope, and looks lovely on her. I am looking forward to seeing Penelope in these softer greens for this season, rather than the garish colours of the previous two seasons. As I previously noted on Tumblr herethe colour of Penelope's dress here is very similar to the colour of her dress for her presentation in season 1, specifically the bodice of her presentation gown. If this is a deliberate decision then it means this dress could potentially be worn in a significant scene in season 3, but also it could be that Penelope's presentation gown in season 1 was foreshadowing her look for this season, or that her look in this season is a callback to her presentation, and it isn't related to anything of major significance in season 3. 

Image Credit: Netflix

I am not as impressed with the hairstyle. Whilst it looks nice, it does take me out of the Regency period, making me think of Rita Hayworth in the 1940s as opposed to a young lady of Regency England. Just because I don't like this look doesn't mean I think they should have remained with her poodle looks of the past seasons, but I think they could have found a happy median showing a better hairstyle whilst keeping it in period.  

Of course one still is not enough to truly know how this will work in the show, but from this it feels more like they are making a show set about 100 years or so after the Regency period, and is yet another part of the styling that has the potential to take the viewer out of the period and Regency fantasy they are trying to create. Also, not taken into account is that this is not the hairstyle a respectable young lady would have worn in Regency times. 

Pose: 

In this pose Penelope is looking out of the window, possibly towards Bridgerton House, and appears to be in a pensive mood. It is also possible that Penelope is worried about something here. As it is so early in the season it is hard to say what she could be worried about, but it is possible it is connected in some way to Lady Whistledown and/or Colin or Eloise.

 

What do you think? Do you think that Penelope is worried or pensive? 

What do you think may concern her at this point? 

Do you like the call back to her season 1 presentation with this dress? 

Bridgerton Season 3: First Look at Peneloise

A few days before Christmas Entertainment Weekly published an article on Bridgerton season 3 which included a still of Penelope and Eloise from episode 1 of season 3. In this post I am going to have a closer look at this still.  

Image Credit: L iam Daniel/Netflix via Entertainment Weekly

The Looks

Eloise: 

We see Eloise in a very pale Bridgerton Blue dress with sheer sleeves, a move away from her more tailored season 2 outfits.  Eloise is also carrying a sheer shawl, and a matching reticule.  The shawl is an interesting addition for Eloise, something we have not seen before, and it would be interesting to know if this is an influence from Kate, who often had a shawl or pashmina in season 2.  The embroidery embellishments on Eloise's dress are floral, and blend in nicely with her dress.  From what I can see this is a much less fussy, and nicer, dress than what we saw in the picture with the family.  Overall from what is visible, if this is Eloise's look for season 3 it is not a bad look, though it is very different from her season 2 look, highlighting that there are different costume designers.  

Eloise's hair is shorter here than we have seen it previously, which is not too unusual for a woman in Regency England where some women would cut their hair shorter. Eloise has her hair in a half up half down style with a Blue hair accessory in a shade or two darker than her dress.  

Penelope: 

This is obviously before Penelope has her makeover - or glow up - as we see her in a recycled yellow dress with pink flower appliqué.  Penelope's hair is also in one of her older styles with tight curls and a side pony tail ringlet that drapes over her shoulder.   Penelope has a hair accessory that looks as if it could be pink and yellow, which will match her dress. Penelope's look indicates that this still is potentially from a scene very early on in the episode. 

The Stances

We see here that there is a significant  physical distance between Penelope and Eloise in comparison to previous seasons, which is representative of their emotional distance after the fight in season 2.  

Eloise is standing with her arms crossed, looking quite angry with Penelope.  The arms crossed is a protective stance as she is closing herself in, and also covering the heart, which suggests that Eloise does not trust Penelope and feels a need to protect herself.  This would make sense after the betrayal by Penelope in season 2. 

Penelope looks more like she is pleading with Eloise, and is more submissive in her stance, with her hands loosely clasped low in front of her body, leaving her heart open to Eloise, potentially in a show of trust, but almost certainly in a moment of vulnerability.  This contrasts with Eloise's closed stance, and covering of her heart area showing a distrust towards Penelope.   

The Setting

This scene is taking place at Madame Delacroix's shop, and therefore is likely a rather public interaction of the two of them, potentially with family members present.  We don't see who either Penelope or Eloise are at the Modiste's shop with, but Penelope is possibly there with Prudence and Portia, though she could be on her own, whilst Eloise could be there with her mother, or Kate, or both and Francesca.  What is interesting is that many of the stills of these two from previous seasons have been set in the Bridgerton home, a more intimate setting, and those that have been in public (eg: the market) have shown them in a closer more intimate pose. That this is set in a public place, with a pose showing their distance, sets a different tone for Eloise and Penelope in season 3. 

So what are your thoughts about this image?  

Do you think Penelope is pleading with Eloise? Do you think Eloise is still feeling betrayed and angry with Penelope?  Or do you think this could be the first step to reconciliation for Eloise and Penelope? 

Bridgerton Season 3: First Look at Colin

Over the course of the last 6-7 months we have received 2 solo images of Colin for season 3, the first was after Tudum in June 2023, and the second was on Christmas Day 2023.  So what do these images tell us about Colin in season 3?  Let's have a look at each image.  

"Pirate" Colin

The image released at Tudum in June 2023 is from the first episode, and has been dubbed by some fans as "Pirate" Colin due to his piratical look in the still, so let's look at this still.

Image Credit:  Liam Daniel/Netflix

The Look

In this still, as said above, we see Colin looking piratical, Colin has no cravat (something that he always wore in previous seasons), and is wearing his shirt with an open collar without a waistcoat.  This is a scandalous way for a Regency Gentleman to dress when in public, even a working class man would wear a cravat in this period.  It would most likely be agricultural labourers that would go out in public without a cravat or waistcoat, as we see Colin dressed here.   We see his shirt is blue rather than white as most gentleman of the period would have worn, and his brown jacket appears to be wearing a bit at the shoulder.  This indicates Colin is dressing down and potentially not advertising his wealth, which may be as a consequence of his travels.  One of the synopsis for season 3 suggested Colin had returned from France, which could explain why he is dressed in this manner.  France and England were at war, so dressing as if he was a peasant vs an English aristocrat could certainly have made his travel easier. 

The Setting

This still is from outside of Bridgerton House, as the family appear to be leaving for Francesca's presentation, based on how Hyacinth, Violet and (what we can see) Kate are dressed, this is also based on some filming leaks we saw in August of 2022.  This suggests that Colin has returned to London just as the season is about to begin, a little earlier than the season before where he returned one or two weeks into the season. 

What is Colin looking at

In the still Colin is looking away from Bridgerton House, and his family, seemingly he is looking across Grosvenor Square.  So what could he be looking at?  It is most likely he is looking towards the Featherington House, possibly at the Featheringtons, including Penelope, returning to the townhouse for the season, or maybe just looking at the house wondering if Penelope is there.  

"Angry" Colin

The second solo image of Colin in season 3 was released on Christmas Day 2023, with other stills from the season (I have discussed three of them here, here, and here).  This image has been dubbed "Angry Colin" by some fans due to, what they believe is, and angry expression on Colin's face.

Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

  

The Look

Again we see Colin dressed down with no cravat and his shirt slightly unbuttoned, however, this time he is wearing a white shirt, that we usually see the gentlemen of the time wear. Colin is also wearing a waistcoat - albeit unbuttoned and hanging loose, but he is not wearing a jacket. This is a much more informal look for Colin, even at home with his family where we have previously seen him fully dressed. It is unusual that during the day a gentleman would be seen in any state of undress outside of his private rooms, even with his family.   Colin's shirt appears to have a frill down the front of his shirt and this, combined with the unbuttoned waistcoat, gives him an almost bohemian artist look in this still.  Colin's waistcoat is quite different to what we have seen him wear previously.  Here his waistcoat is darker in colour than the lighter creams, silvers and blues we saw in season 1 and season 2. As with Anthony in season 2, where the darker colour of his waistcoat indicated a new seriousness in Anthony, the darker colour of Colin's waistcoat could be indicating a new seriousness in Colin.  It should also be noted that his waistcoat is patterned with animal imagery - in direct contrast with more floral looks we have seen with the costumes of the Bridgerton women for season 3, and with the plainer designs of the waistcoats we have seen so far on the Bridgerton men.  This pattern is most likely designed to ensure Colin stands out from the rest of the Bridgerton family as he is the main protagonist for season 3. 

The setting

This still is for a scene in the drawing room of Bridgerton House, which fits for Colin to be in a state of undress that would be scandalous in public. Colin is standing and holding a paper, that looks like it is most likely a copy of Lady Whistledown, and he appears to be looking at someone out of shot, most likely a family member (or more) sitting on the settee(s). 

Colin's Expression

As indicated above, Colin's expression has been interpreted as angry by some fans, though I think he looks more upset than angry in this image. Whether he is angry, or upset, it is reasonable to assume that his emotions in this scene are connected to the paper he is holding. 

The potential scene

So, what could this scene be? As this is episode 2 of the season, it is potentially a little early in the season for Colin to have discovered Penelope's secret, therefore it is possibly related to some gossip, maybe about Colin specifically or the Bridgertons more generally. It is possible that he is having a difficult discussion related to the LW newsletter he is holding, most likely with another member of the family, perhaps Anthony or Kate, or maybe Violet, or potentially Eloise? 

What do you think? Do you think Colin is angry or upset? Who else do you think is in the room with Colin? Do you also believe it is potentially too early in the season for Colin to have discovered Penelope's secret? 

Bridgerton Season 3: First Look at the Bridgertons

Included in the stills released on Christmas Day 2023 was one of the Bridgerton Family, well most of them anyway. 

Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

The image shows Eloise, Benedict, Kate, Gregory, Violet, Anthony and Hyacinth with varying expressions as they look at someone out of shot.  The way that they are dressed indicates that this still is the day of Francesca's presentation. Let's look at the still more closely. 

What or Who are they looking at? 

The first thing that many have noted with this still is that each of the siblings, and Violet and Kate, are looking at someone out of shot, and based on the surprised expressions on the faces of some of the family members theories have arisen.  One of the most common theories I have seen is that this is after Francesca's presentation and the family are looking at Colin surprised at his appearance and dress, however, I disagree with this theory.  I think they are looking at Francesca at the piano.  

In season 1 we saw the set up with most of the siblings waiting on Daphne in the foyer of Bridgerton House, in season 2 we saw the siblings and Violet waiting on a reluctant Eloise outside her bedroom.  I think for season 3 the set up will have the family waiting on Francesca as she plays the piano, and why do I think this?  

In the still we see that there is a piano in the bottom left corner of the image, and those in the frame appear to be looking at someone sitting at the piano.  This makes me believe that they are looking towards Francesca sitting at the piano.  Also, we see Hyacinth holding the Ostrich feather headdress, that the debutantes wear, in her hand, which again suggests it is Francesca the family are looking at and not Colin.  

Based on the expressions of the family what can we speculate about this scene? 

We see Eloise and Kate with an expression that suggests understanding, but perhaps also proud of their sister, whilst Gregory, Violet and Anthony look concerned, Hyacinth looks almost shocked, whilst Benedict looks amused.  This makes me think that this scene could be pre-presentation, and the family are reacting to something that Francesca has said.  

In the season 3 introductory article from Shondaland Hannah Dodd talks about how she sees Francesca as an introvert, and someone who gets intimidated going into the Ton.  Building on this view of Francesca I believe that in this scene Francesca has possibly expressed her apprehension and/or unease at being the centre of attention during her presentation.  

Styling: 

I am going to briefly talk about the styling in this scene, however, it is important to note that as this is obviously from the Presentation this may not be a true indicator as to the season's styling for the characters.  

Eloise:  Eloise is back in Bridgerton Blue here, a move away from the lilacs and greens we saw her in during season 2, whether this remains her colour for the season or not can't be determined until more stills are released. I can't say I am overly fond of the cape and large bow, which makes it appear a little too juvenile for a young woman going into her second season, and the floral detailing on her dress - whilst in theme - seems a little overdone to me.  I did see it suggested online that this dress could be designed to cover a cast that Claudia Jessie reportedly had on during the beginning of filming.  What is noticeable about Eloise is that her hair is up, so this could indicate that we see her with a more grown up style for the season, it also appears that Eloise has a blue hair accessory to match her dress.  

Violet:  Violet's look is very much within the floral themes we have seen on other gowns so far, it appears to be a pale blue pelisse with a white or silver dress, all with silver embellishments.   Again, Violet's hair appears to be curled more than in the previous season, which I think softens her look and actually makes her appear slightly younger whilst retaining the matronly look.  

Hyacinth:  Hyacinth is in a pale pink gown with silver and pearl embellishments.  Hyacinth appears to have a sheer Spencer Jacket on over her dress, with silver and rose embellishments and puff sleeves.  Again she has a frill around the neckline giving the feel of a dress for a juvenile, but not overly childish.  Hyacinth's hair is done up in plaits (braided) with ringlets, and has a pink hair accessory to match her dress.  

Kate:  This is the look from the leaked filming pictures taken in August 2022.  I did write about Kate's look in those images here, however, at the time I thought her dress, and overdress was cream, as we can see it is a blush pink, and what looked like green detailing on the dress appears as though it is in fact gold.  We see that the embellishments are kept within the floral theme of the others, and are in gold as well.  We can't see much of Kate's look here as she is partially obscured, however, I believe her hair adornments are leaves which could be to invoke a laurel wreath (as explained in my previous post on it).  Under the sleeve of Kate's overdress we see some gold, which may be a sleeve of her dress, however, I think it is possibly a bangle that she is wearing instead of a wedding ring. 

Benedict:  We can't see much of Benedict's look here, but he appears to be wearing a single breasted jacket with tails, possibly in velvet, with a white or cream waistcoat that has gold detailing, a white shirt and white cravat.  We can't see his trousers, but I believe that like Anthony and Gregory, Benedict is wearing breeches that stopped just below the knee with stockings.  This style of breeches were the formal court dress for men in the Regency period.  

Gregory:  Gregory is also dressed in the single breasted jacket with tails, again most likely in Velvet, and the formal breeches worn by men at court.  Gregory's waistcoat appears to be a dark cream colour, which is contrasted with his white shirt and cravat of a slightly lighter cream.  What is nice about Gregory's clothing is that it is identical to Anthony's in terms of style and colour, whilst Benedict's stands out due to the different colour of the waistcoat and cravat.  

Anthony:  As mentioned above, Anthony's look is almost identical to Gregory's dark velvet jacket, dark cream waistcoat, and slightly lighter cream cravat.  One thing of difference in Anthony's look is the medal around his neck, this is most likely some form of Order of Chivalry similar to the Order of the  Garter, suggesting that Anthony has received some form of honour after his marriage.  I don't believe it is anything relating to receiving a new title as some do, nor do I believe it is something he should have been wearing as a Viscount, as the regalia for a Viscount would not normally include something like this if the titleholder had not received the honour associated with it.   

So who do you think they are looking at?  What do you think is happening in this still?  

Do you think it is before, or after, Francesca's presentation?  

Bridgerton Season 3: First Look at Francesca

When the stills on Christmas Day released we got our first proper look at Hannah Dodd as Francesca.  The role of Francesca was re-cast for season 3 due, in part, to Ruby Stokes's limited availability, and the re-casting indicates that Francesca will have a bigger role to play in the third season. Francesca will be presented at court and 'comes out' into society, it is also expected that Francesca will marry during this season. 

The first image of Francesca is from episode 4 and includes Hyacinth and Violet. By this stage we will have seen Francesca having been presented and taken part in the first half of the season, so let's look at the image. 

Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

Pose: 

In this image Francesca is standing in between Violet and Hyacinth, who all have slightly different expressions on their faces.  Violet looks surprised, or taken aback whilst Hyacinth looks like she is holding back a grin or laugh.  Francesca in the meantime has a look on her face that is reserved happiness, but also a touch of nervousness.  

When looking at the pose fully we see that Francesca has her hands clasped in front of her, and she appears to be worrying her finger, or perhaps fiddling with a ring.  Some have suggested that this means that Francesca is married, or at least engaged and she is playing with her ring, and whilst this is a possibility it does not look like Francesca is wearing a ring.  I think this is more of a nervous gesture, similar to what we have seen from Anthony when he has been anxious about something, or feeling under stress.  So, I think rather than her fiddling with a ring she is actually worrying her finger in a nervous gesture. I don't think Francesca will be married this early in the season - however, I stand to be corrected when the season comes. 

All three of them are reacting to someone out of shot, but who?  Is it a family member? Or maybe it is John who has called over to see Francesca? 

Styling: 

Let's have a look at the styling for Violet, Hyacinth and finally Francesca.

Violet:  We don't have a great look at Violet's costume, but it does appear to be similar in style and design to previous seasons.  The overdress she is wearing is in Bridgerton Blue with white floral embellishments.  The style looks to be slightly fuller than previous seasons.  Violet's hair appears to have a slightly different style to it, or rather more curl than I recall seeing in previous seasons.  Overall Violet's style remains matronly and suitable for the matriarch of the family. 

Hyacinth: Hyacinth's style is a little more grown up than in the previous seasons, and we see that she is in keeping with the floral theme the Bridgerton women have this season, with the embellishments on her gown.  Hyacinth is wearing a slightly darker pink gown than previously seen, more of a rose pink than a baby pink, with a white floral pattern.  Unlike in previous years she does not have the sheer piece underneath covering from the neckline of her dress to her neck, however, the neckline on her dress is higher.  It also appears that she has a sleeveless Spencer, or waistcoat, on that is buttoned on the front, quite similar to the styles of Eloise in season 2.  She retains the frill around her neckline on the dress which gives it a more juvenile look.   The most noticeable aspect of Hyacinths look in this picture is her hair and makeup.  The hairstyle itself, whilst still relatively juvenile, gives the idea of an older child, and it appears that she may have a little more eye make up on, thus overall giving her a more mature look to previous seasons. 

Francesca: Finally Francesca.  I can't see the dress fully, but from what I see of her dress it very much looks like  the embellishments are dyed rather than embroidered - as would be more period appropriate - which combined with the Chanel look Spencer jacket (complete with large flower decorative piece), gives a much more modern feel to it - perhaps too modern, thus taking the viewer out of the Regency period.  The jacket itself, whilst a Regency style from the mid 1810s looks to be a Tweed Boucle material, which is more reminiscent of the 1950s than 1810s. I think they went a step too far with the boucle, and if they had kept the jacket a plain Tweed it would have worked better for the period.  The large decorative flower on Francesca's Spencer adds to the misplaced feel of the time period of her clothing, and tends to give a visual that feels out of time or place. 

Symbolism: 

It has been suggested that (as with many Bridgerton costumes) Francesca's Spencer contains a lot of symbolism about her story, so let's break this down. 

One of the first things that seemed to be noted is the idea that Francesca's Spencer is Scottish Tweed. To me the Spencer does not evoke Scottish Tweed, in fact I think it evokes a Jackie Kennedy aesthetic more than Scottish Tweed from the Regency period. If the designers were looking to evoke Scottish Tweed for her jacket here, then I think they have missed the mark as what comes across to me is a mid twentieth century Chanel look as opposed to a Regency Scottish Tweed look. 

The flower on the front of Francesca's jacket is, however, full of symbolism. The flower is a Camellia which represents a spirit of depth, self-reflection and inner strength within Japanese society, qualities that are highly esteemed. Camellia's also symbolise love, loyalty and humility. All of these meanings are fitting for the character of Francesca, who whilst not the loudest of the Bridgertons, is a character that possesses an inner strength that sees her through her tragedies.

Speculation on the scene

So what could this scene be about?  Basically anything, we could be looking at a family scene, or we could be looking at a scene that involves a call from John.  

My best two speculative theories are: 

    

1. Anthony has come back from meeting with John and has stated that John requested permission to marry Francesca, hence the surprise from Violet, the quietly contained happiness from Francesca and the barely contained excitement from Hyacinths. 
2. John is calling on Francesca and has asked to speak with Francesca alone

Of course it could be neither of these situations at all, or it could be both. 

What do you think this scene is about? Do you think that Francesca is married or betrothed in it?  

Bridgerton Season 3: First Look at Kate and Anthony

On Christmas Day we had the release of new stills for Bridgerton Season 3.  I will be doing a series of posts looking at each of these stills, as well as some earlier stills released for season 3, and breaking them down with my thoughts and theories based on what I see. 

The first still I will look at is the one of The Viscount and Viscountess Bridgerton, (Kate and Anthony) from episode 1.  At first glance there are a couple of things that stand out immediately; the intimacy of the pose, Kate's overall look, and the setting.  So let's break these down one by one.  

Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

The Setting: 

The image doesn't give a lot away about the location of the image, but it appears that it could be their bedroom in Bridgerton House.  The walls and drapes show the Bridgerton colour scheme that we see throughout the house (the pale blue), and there are sheer curtains.  The look of the background gives a feeling of old money luxury that is associated with the Bridgertons.  It appears that Kate is sitting down, potentially at a small writing table.  Beyond the basics there is very little else to give away the location of the image from a physical look, however the pose implies intimacy that would be seen in a more private setting.  

The Looks: 

We can see that under her Spencer Jacket, Kate's dress is Bridgerton Blue, telling us she is now a Bridgerton, however, this is contrasted with the warm red of her Spencer Jacket.  Kate's Spencer is embellished with a floral design that evokes the floral embellishments of some of her wardrobe in season 2, in particular her ball gowns, and is also reminiscent of the floral design in Anthony's waistcoat in the Epilogue of season 2.  I haven't had the opportunity to do a full analysis, and one day I might, however, my first thought was that the floral designs on Kate's clothing in season 2 were for significant scenes with her and Anthony, and that the floral designs have been carried through to her season 3 wardrobe keeps this connection with them.  

It appears the top of her dress has an embellishment that resembles holly leaves (in blue) and berries.  This seems a little odd to me, but without seeing the context of the scene it is difficult to know why there is this specific embellishment on her dress, however, it does evoke the idea of Christmas.  

Kate's hair looks to be a half up, half down style, with some loose tendrils framing her face and a section of her hair over her shoulder as we saw at the end of season 2.  It does not appear, however, that she has her signature braids in this scene, though as were are only seeing one side of her hair it is impossible to determine if there may be braids on the other side.  This softer style with her hair shows the continuation of her journey that we saw in season 2 which was illustrated throughout via her hairstyles softening.  Kate's hair accessory is again in blue, albeit a slightly darker blue than that of her dress, thus blending in with both the light blue of her dress and the darker red of her Spencer Jacket. 

We see very little of Anthony's look in this still, however we can see a little.  Anthony's waistcoat appears to be a plain dark colour, either dark blue or black, and we can see that he is not wearing a cravat. Anthony also has his shirtsleeves rolled up, and is not wearing a jacket.  This lends itself to an intimate scene with Kate and Anthony where they are alone, relaxed and informal, away for visitors and the family.  

The Pose: 

Of all aspects of this look it is the pose that I find the most interesting.  This is an intimate pose, and similar to ways we have seen Kate and Anthony together previously (him behind embracing her).  

The first thing to note is that Kate has her back to Anthony whilst turning her head to look at him in the eyes, this shows her trust in him by having her most vulnerable part of her body open.  Meanwhile we see Anthony's trust in Kate as he leans around her exposing his neck.  Exposing the vulnerable parts of your body to someone - even with no physical threat likely - shows trust.  

Kate and Anthony are maintaining eye contact, this is something that was very noticeable throughout season 2, and helped lend to showing that they are equals, and this has continued into their marriage.  The eye contact not only reinforces their trust, their love, and their affection, it also shows that they are not hiding from each other.  

Whilst there is an openness to their pose, there is also another element which struck me from the moment I saw this image - protectiveness.  In this we see both Kate and Anthony displaying protectiveness in this pose.  

Anthony's arms are around Kate as we have seen before, but the positioning of his arms sends a slightly different message to previous times we have seen this.  

Anthony's right arm is down the outside of Kate's right arm, rather than across her lower abdomen as we saw in the epilogue for season 2.  This looks like he is protecting or shielding her vulnerable side.  Anthony's left arm is around her, positioned at the top of her abdomen as opposed to across the top of her chest that we saw in the epilogue of season 2, again in a position as if he is shielding and protecting.  

In addition to the positioning of Anthony's arms, we see Kate's right arm across Anthony's left arm as if she is pulling it tighter around herself in a protective or comforting action.  In this moment we see Kate wanting, needing, and receiving Anthony's protection, but maybe his comfort as well.  

Another interesting thing about this pose is that it appears to be reminiscent of poses that are often seen in photos of parents with their new baby.

I believe that this still is hinting at a major part of Kate and Anthony's storyline for season three, and that we will see Kate pregnant, and perhaps even see the appearance of baby Edmund.    

In saying that it is prudent to reiterate that this is my opinion, and whilst this could be read as a protective pose, it could also be one of comfort and reassurance, or something more intimate. 

 

What do you think this pose tells us?  Do you think, like I do, that this is an instinctual protective pose and Kate is pregnant?  or do you think Anthony is providing comfort to Kate?  or do you think that too much is being read into it and they are just having an intimate moment before going to be with the family?  

Leave a comment with your thoughts on this image.