In season 2 Anthony told his mother that the woman he married would be responsible for launching his sisters into society, which for most young ladies began with the presentation to the Queen. I think that Kate being the one presenting Francesca will be a good way to call back to that, and for the viewers to see Kate take her place in society as The Viscountess Bridgerton. There is a view that Kate will be presented as the new Viscountess, however, I think that (like her wedding) Kate's presentation as The Viscountess Bridgerton was done offscreen. Presentations to the Queen occurred multiple times throughout the year, and often young ladies would be presented (or re-presented) formally upon marriage shortly after their wedding. I believe that season 3 is taking place a year (or more) after the end of season 2 pre-epilogue, and almost a year after Kate and Anthony's wedding (you can read my theory on that here), making the wait between her marriage and her presentation much longer than would be normal. Further, I believe that in what we have seen, it is Kate that is dressed for doing a formal presentation at court, rather than Violet, especially when we compare her dress to that of previous seasons when she has been the one presenting her daughters. To me, Violet looks as if she is dressed to be in the audience rather than presenting.
New Bridgerton Family Portraits
With the recasting of Francesca, and Anthony's marriage, it makes sense that the portraits we see in Bridgerton House will be changed. We have already seen that a portrait of Violet and Edmund is in the drawing room, replacing a previous portrait. I have the expectation that the portraits of the children in the main entrance will also change. I would like to see one of the three unmarried girls (Eloise, Francesca and Hyacinth) and one of the three unmarried boys (Benedict, Colin and Gregory), replacing the current portraits of the three eldest girls and three eldest boys. I think it would be nice to replace the portrait of Gregory and Hyacinth with one of Simon and Daphne, to show they are still part of the family and not forgotten. This leaves a portrait of the Viscount and Viscountess, Kate and Anthony, which I would like to see replace the portrait of Edmund in Anthony's study, symbolising Anthony letting go of his past and looking to his future.
Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix
Tying up the Featherington storylines
I have a feeling that potentially season 3 will be the last season with the Featheringtons, as such I would like to see some of their outstanding storylines tied up. It seems that Prudence will marry, but I would also like to see an end to the Featherington heir storyline if the show intends to continue this.
Kate's Past
During season 2 I feel that the storyline lacked in telling for full story about what shaped Kate to become the person she was we saw in episode 1, even in season 1 we got a glimpse into what shaped Daphne despite a lack of defined backstory. We saw time spent on part of Penelope's backstory but very little time in developing Kate's backstory, so I would like to see her backstory developed further in season 3. I have always maintained that looking into Kate's past, especially around her parents and how not having her mother and losing her father so young, would be something that could be woven into a pregnancy storyline for Kate.
Newton
What would Bridgerton, and the household of Kathani, Viscountess Bridgerton, be without Newton to cause some mischief. I hope he just doesn't suddenly disappear never to be seen again. I would like to see Newton become a loved member of the Bridgerton family, doted on by Hyacinth and Gregory, and tolerated by Anthony.
Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix
Kate's Culture
Just because Kate has married an English Viscount shouldn't mean that she loses the essence of who she is and where she is from. I hope to see the show have Kate retain her cultural identity and integrate it into her life as a Bridgerton, it was an essential part of her character in season 2, and it should remain so moving forward. We have seen that Kate appears to forego a wedding ring and wear traditional bangles, and her jewellery in the clip released last week had an Indian feel to it, but I want it to go beyond her jewellery. I would also love to see some aspects of her culture being embraced by the Bridgertons as well, but mostly I don't want to see it forgotten and have Kate become fully integrated into being English.
Last Wednesday we were surprised by Netflix UK dropping a short clip of a scene with Kate and Anthony, as opposed to the expected Polin content. The clip they dropped was a scene at a Ball, which I believe to be Lady Danbury's Ball. As this scene is a ball, and contains interactions outside of Kate and Anthony there is a lot to unpack, so for this short breakdown I won't go into detail about the looks of each of the characters.
Setting:
Beginning with the setting, as I said above I believe this is Lady Danbury's ball based on the wall colours, and Penelope's dress, placing this scene in the first episode, most likely around the middle of the episode.
The ball's theme appears to be that of the four seasons, this works well in this scene with where we see the positioning of some of the characters. And whilst we see representations for winter and summer in the ball's decorations, this clip does appear to be overwhelmingly focused on Autumn, and many of the costumes appear to have a more autumnal theme, especially Kate's, which I think really works if this social season has been postponed to Autumn as I discussed here.
Francesca:
Beyond a couple of stills, this is the first real look we get of Francesca, and whilst it is short it does give us some insight into who she is. We know, from interviews with Hannah Dodd that that Francesca is the most introverted of the Bridgerton children and will find the social season difficult, but despite this introversion we have seen in previous seasons, that she is open with her family, if quieter than her siblings. This is highlighted in her interaction with Anthony, where she speaks to him in a determined and confident tone, even if the volume is quiet. Her introverted nature is not rooted in timidity.
Francesca has walked from a group of gentlemen towards Anthony, and it is telling she went to Anthony rather than her mother who was also present, as this indicates a closeness between them, but also Francesca's acceptance of his authority within the family. As Francesca makes her way to Anthony she looks upset and a little dejected. This contrasts with her tone (as discussed above) when talking with Anthony where she has a strong, determined and confident tone. Whilst Francesca may not be naturally confident in the social setting, she is confident in who she is within her family, and in dealing with her siblings.
After the interaction with Anthony we see Francesca move away to sit on her own on the side of the ballroom, and as she sits she turns away from the dance floor and looks down, physically (and mentally) removing herself from what is happening at the ball. This will be her first ball, and unlike Daphne and Eloise, she appears to be overwhelmed with the social side of the ball, and perhaps unsure how to proceed.
Anthony:
This scene gives us the culmination of two seasons of growth for Anthony. We see that he has been working on his relationships with his siblings to be less controlling and less remote, but we still see his desire to protect his sister as he appears to physically and mentally restrain himself from going to the gentlemen who appear to have upset Francesca. We also see that Anthony, in contrast to season 1, is letting Francesca set her boundaries and make her decisions, he lets her take a moment, and he doesn't hover or stay with her. This shows growth within Anthony as a character that has come from making those mistakes in season 1 and season 2, but having learned from them to adjust his behaviour.
We also see Anthony happy in his marriage, the way he continues to be drawn to her and when she looks at him he goes to her, this keeps in with the themes in season 2 of Kate and Anthony being magnets who are drawn to each other naturally.
Kate:
The first look at Kate in this clip shows her in a private moment with Violet, we see her and Violet holding hands, and talking, indicating a close relationship between the two Viscountesses, however, we see that Kate, like Anthony, is happy in her marriage, as she smiles with happiness and joy when she catches Anthony's eye. We see that Kate looks happy with her husband, and in her place in the family that she is now part of, she is loved as part of a loving family, and she is thriving in that environment.
Whilst I won't go into detail about Kate's look, I will note that we do not see her wearing a wedding ring, but rather gold bracelets that look to be the ones seen under her sleeve in the leaked filming pictures from August 2022. I like that the show have Kate wearing the gold bracelets, and I have seen many young South Asian women online expressing pleasure at seeing Kate's jewellery leaning into her South Asian background.
Kate and Anthony:
I am going to very quickly look at the dynamic between these two as a unit, because even though they are separate characters we know from interviews that they will also be a team and working together.
The first thing to notice, is that we are seeing Kate and Anthony still being drawn to each other, finding each other from across the room, though, unlike in season 2, this time they look to each other with happiness and love. The second thing to notice is the way Anthony so easily and happily compliments Kate (calling her 'my beautiful wife'), and in this interaction I think we get two very lovely reactions from Kate, the first is an almost loving exasperation as if this is something he says a lot and she is playfully pretending to be exasperated with him, and the second is how she accepts the compliment as if (again) it is something that is normal, and this really contrasts with season 2 when she was not on the receiving end of many compliments.
The dance they share is definitely tonally different to their two ball dances in season 2, however, what we see is the happiness and joy we saw a hint of in the dance at the Harmony ball in season 2, though this time they don't need to hide their happiness in each other's company, contrasting with season 2. Previously they have had to hide their feelings, and their affection, most noticeably in their last dance in season 2, where we saw their longing as they leaned towards each other as if to steal a kiss. Here they are open and public with their love, and their PDA (public displays of affection), which they have taken from out of the family circle in the season 2 epilogue, and are displaying it for all of the Ton, demonstrated with their quick kiss during the dance. Finally, what we see with this dance is a call back to their final dance in season 2 when Anthony said to Kate "nobody else matters", here we see that nobody else does matter to them, they are not concerned about appearances, just with each other in that moment.
The seasons theme:
That season 3 is beginning with a ball themed for the four seasons is interesting, and fitting. There has been a lot of discussion around season 3 having the theme of transformation and growth, and of characters finding their roles in society, and the seasons show this a bit. Each of the seasons have symbolism beyond the most superficial meaning most people associate with the seasons and life cycles, and this symbolism has meanings within the different characters highlighted in this clip.
We see both Francesca and Kate framed within the Autumn theme. Autumn symbolises change, but is also associated with abundance, prosperity and wealth, something that ties in with Kate's choice of gold jewellery that within the Indian tradition symbolises prosperity and wealth. As I said, Autumn symbolises change, and both Kate and Francesca have major changes in their life during this season, with Kate becoming the Viscountess, and Francesca in society having to change and adapt to an unfamiliar environment. Expanding on this, Autumn also symbolises learning and seeking, which again is something that we will see Kate and Francesca do, as they both learn about their new roles, and seek to find their place in the family, the Ton and the world.
In contrast we see Penelope framed within the Summer theme, which symbolises coming of age, falling in love, and adulthood. These are all the themes that can relate to Penelope in season 3 as she becomes an adult, which relates to what Nicola has mentioned in interviews about Polin being adults this season when previously they have been children.
Final Thoughts:
I have seen some criticise this clip saying it doesn't give any information about season 3, however, I would disagree with this assessment, I think from this one minute clip we get a lot of information about the characters. We see Anthony as being more relaxed, and the difference in his interactions with his siblings in how he deals with Francesca in contrast to how we saw him with Daphne, we see Kate's interaction with Violet and get a glimpse as to how she is fitting in with the Bridgerton family as the new Viscountess, we see how open and loving Kate and Anthony are after last season being closed off and hiding their feelings, we see Francesca as the quietest and most introverted of the Bridgerton siblings as she removes herself from the social situation.
Finally, with regards to Penelope, we see her contrast with Francesca. Both are on the sidelines at this ball, essentially 'wallflowers', however, what we see is Francesca making the choice to put herself in that position, she removed herself, and further she turns from what is happening in her own contemplation. Penelope on the other hand is on the sidelines by force so to speak, she didn't choose to be there, and she is wanting to be a part of it but has been invited in to take part, she is watching what is happening and we can see that she wishes she was part of society, something that Penelope has expressed in both season 1 and season 2.
What did you think of the clip? Are you excited to see Kate and Anthony in season 3?
One of the narrative tools that Bridgerton has used in both season 1 and season 2 is that of the flashback, to give context to part of the story they are telling, these flashbacks have not been contained to just the main couple as we shall see, but first what exactly is a flashback?
The word flashback seems self explanatory, however, I have discovered that many people interpret it in a different way, some believe that it is to show the motivations of a character for a specific decision, others believe it is to show something that is fundamental to the character's development, and others think that it is just to show something that happened in the past to that character that may or may not be material to the story, and in a sense all are correct.
The Screencraft Blog describes the flashback as "a scene (or sequence of scenes) that deviates from the main story to show something that happened before the events of the primary storyline". So essentially it is a scene that shows events in the past for the characters, there is no mention that it must be fundamental to the character's development, or that it needs to show some motivation, all it says is that it is something that has to have happened before the events of the primary storyline - this will be important in the discussion of flashbacks in Bridgerton.
Before looking at the use of flashbacks in Bridgerton, it is important to note that the cinematography, and the lighting, for flashbacks is distinct in relation to that of the primary storyline timeline, and so it is easier for the viewer to distinguish the flashback from the primary storyline.
Image Credit: Netflix
Season 1
In season 1 we saw a flashback in two episodes for two different characters, the first for Simon and the second for Portia.
In episode 2 we saw a series of flashbacks related to Simon, from his birth through his childhood and finally the death of his father. The purpose of these were to convey to the audience an important backstory for Simon, something that explains his reluctance to have children by showing the viewers and not just telling them through clunky dialogue. The viewers feel empathy for Simon due to the treatment he receives from his father, and they can see what informs his view on the world and why he doesn't want children. From a viewers perspective, seeing Simon's experiences gain him the understanding that may not have happened if we had just heard of his experiences.
In addition to the flashbacks for Simone, in episode 3 we saw a short flashback showing Portia and Varley forging a letter to Marina. This flashback provided context and knowledge to the viewer in relation to Marina's situation, that the character does not have, a knowledge that can invoke empathy for her character and her situation. Whilst this flashback was short, and unrelated to the main story, it did provide viewers information beyond the context of this scene, information that showed up again in season 2. The viewers have already seen that Varley is a forger, so that in season 2 when it was raised again it did not need to be shown to the viewers. This may not have been something that happened in a distant past, but it was still a flashback to events prior to the storyline at that point that provided information, and context, to the viewers that carried through to season 2.
Image Credit: Netflix
Season 2
In season 2 we also saw flashbacks, and again they occurred for two different characters in two different episodes.
In episode 1, immediately after the opening credits, we have a flashback of Penelope. This flashback shows the viewers how Penelope does her Lady Whistledown paper, and as Penelope's storyline in season 2 wasn't actually focused on how she did her Lady Whistledown column this flashback felt out of place and unimportant, almost like a filler scene as opposed to imparting important information that was directly related to the storyline. This information could have been provided within the timeline of the secondary storyline for Penelope, however, the show creatives made a decision to have it as a flashback thus placing more importance on this scene that it actually warrants.
In episode 3, the show included a series of flashbacks for Anthony which briefly showed his relationship with his father, his father's death and the fallout of the death of Edmund. These flashbacks provided important backstory for Anthony to allow the viewers to gain an understanding of him, but also to give the viewers a reason to empathise with him and his situation. We saw Anthony as a young boy dealing with his father's death having newly inherited the title, we also saw his mother's grief and depression after Edmund's death and we saw how Violet treated him after the death of his father and how lost he was at that time. Further, I would argue these flashbacks also showed us some important backstory for other Bridgertons, specifically Daphne and Eloise, with a callback to season 1.
In season 1 there is a short conversation between Eloise and Daphne touching on the birth of Hyacinth and Eloise describing what she remembered, we saw this moment in episode 3, and we get an understanding of is how this traumatic event was approached by the two girls in two very different ways, partially due to their age and partially due to their birth order - Daphne as the eldest took on a maternal role with Eloise.
Who may the flashbacks for season 3 be for?
In both season 1 and season 2 the lead male character has had flashbacks to explain his backstory, whilst we have had a secondary flashback from the Featheringtons, this has led some fans to believe that the flashbacks in season 3 will be for Colin, however, I don't think that is necessarily a given.
Adjoa Andoh reportedly has said that the way the storytelling for season 3 will be different to previous seasons, now this could mean anything, but I wonder if what she is saying is that it will be Penelope who will be front and centre in the story and not Colin, thus meaning it will be Penelope who will be the true lead and Colin will be the love interest. The promotion that we have had so far certainly suggests that this could be the case as it has been very Penelope centric. If this is how the season is to be structure - with Penelope front and centre in the main story, then this could mean that the flashbacks will be focused on Penelope. It makes sense narratively as well that we focus more on Penelope, as it is her story that has been developed the most since season 1.
In addition to the flashbacks for the main character, it is possible the show will keep with a flashback for a secondary character, as they have in the previous seasons with Portia and Penelope, but who could it be? I think there are several possibilities:
The first possibility, and arguably the fan's most favoured choice, is Kate. It feels like Kate and Anthony's story will be continuing in season 3 - just as Penelope and Colin's story has been in the show since season 1, I feel that we could see Kate and Anthony's story continuing in seasons subsequent to theirs. In continuing Kate and Anthony's story there could be a flashback to their wedding, which we did not get to see in season 2, however, as much as I would love to see this I think it would be more for fan service than actual storytelling. If we are to get a flashback for Kate it has the potential to serve the story better if it is somehow tied to her childhood in India - especially if we get a pregnancy storyline for Kate. Having grown up without her biological mother it makes sense for Kate to dwell on the woman who gave birth to her as she prepares to give birth and become a mother herself.
A second possibility is Benedict. I feel that this is possibly the least likely candidate, especially if his season is season 4, however, it could work. IF the ball where Benedict meets Sophie is in one of the early episodes (episode 1 or episode 2), the show could hold off showing the viewers the meeting of Benedict and Sophie until the final episode through a flashback, maybe Benedict sees her as a maid and has a memory of a woman that she reminds him of, or something similar. Using this however may be seen as a removing one of the more important aspects of Benedict and Sophie's meeting from his season.
A third possibility is Eloise. I am torn on this idea personally, mostly as I think if Penelope has flashbacks of her childhood, and specifically time with the Bridgertons, then there could be some crossover with Eloise. So whilst this would tie into the main story, I just don't see how it could be distinguished from the main couple as their stories are too entwined.
The final possibility is that the secondary flashback belongs to Violet or Lady Danbury, connected with their shared past. Whilst this is an intriguing thought, there has been no indication that Arsema Thomas or Connie Jenkins-Greig have been on set to suggest a flashback to their younger selves, and as we saw in Queen Charlotte Violet only became aware of Lady Danbury's relationship with her father in the recent off season.
This is all speculation at this stage, and we won't find out for sure until 16 May when Part 1 of season 3 releases. What do you think? Do you think Penelope will have the main flashbacks? Do you think one of the Bridgertons will get a flashback? Do you think we could see more of Kate's past? Or even the past of Lady Danbury and Violet?
NOTE: This may contain spoilers from the books and for upcoming seasons
We are almost 2 months away from Bridgerton Season 3 and speculation on what will happen is high. Below are 10 storylines I think could be in Bridgerton Season 3.
Image Credit: Netflix
1. Lady Whistledown Reveal:
The overarching theme of this season is about stepping out of the shadows and into the light, a theme that is reinforced with the titles of the bookend episodes (episode 1 and episode 8) called Out of the Shadows and Into the Light respectively. I believe that one of the biggest aspects of Penelope's arc of stepping into the light will be her reveal as Lady Whistledown to the Ton. Whilst it is not a popular opinion with some, I strongly believe that the Lady Whistledown reveal will likely happen in season 3 as it will wrap up Penelope's ongoing arc nicely and give her a happy ever after with no potential drama for her in future seasons. As we are told Kate and Anthony have their happy ever after with no drama in season 3, Penelope and Colin will have their happy ever after, with no drama, going into season 4. I think this is something we will see in the final episode as the title lends itself well to Penelope finally stepping from the shadows of her anonymous newsletter into the light of being herself.
2. Colin taking over Will's club:
At the Valentine's Day event we learned that Will Mondrich is to gain a title, (I believe it could be Richmond as I wrote about here). I think that it is possible that Will decides to focus his energy on the estate, making an effort to fit into the Ton, leading to Will deciding not to continue with his club leading to Colin eventually taking it over, either as a manager or buying it. Colin is lost and has no real purpose in his life, living off his brother and not really contributing to society, setting it up for Colin to become a business man and running (or owning) the club will give Colin a purpose and a future income for him and the family he builds with Penelope.
Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix
3. Benedict season set up:
I think that Benedict's season will be set up in season 3, and his story beginning. At the Valentine's Day event Luke Thompson indicated that Benedict would be taking on some of Anthony's responsibilities, it is hard to know whether he meant familial or business, but I can see Anthony delegating some things to Benedict now he is married so that he no longer works all night like we have seen in the previous seasons, but also as a way for Benedict to feel useful and relevant after hitting rock bottom in season 2, prompting him to give up his art. This will be one way to set up for Benedict's season where it is Sophie that becomes his muse and brings him back to art. Another aspect of Benedict's set up for his season I believe that we will see him purchase My Cottage (or he could have already bought it). The final part of Benedict's season set up is the introduction of Benedict's love interest, Sophie, in the second part of the season. If they keep the ball introduction this could double as the setting for the Lady Whistledown reveal that occurred at the Hastings Ball in the book.
4. Francesca's first Marriage and the Michael introduction:
With Francesca entering into society in this upcoming season it is likely that we will see Francesca meet and marry her first husband John, we also could meet Michael in this season as well. In the books Francesca marries in her first season, and it is a very good bet that the show will continue with that arc for Francesca. Further, filming leaks suggest that John will be in the show, and possibly Michael, based on what some fans have seen during the season's filming. I don't foresee Francesca's storyline being one of drama, if anything I think it will most likely be a straightforward courtship, engagement and marriage.
5. Eloise remaining political:
I think that we will see the show continue with Eloise's politicisation in season 3, however, instead of Eloise just running off doing her own thing I think we will see Kate potentially steer Eloise towards a more socially acceptable way to get involved in politics. Further, it is possible that Eloise will be influenced by a new friend, or a new character. I don't see the writers and showrunner abandoning Eloise's political activism, but also I don't see that Eloise will be as reckless as she was in season 2, which is why I think there will be some guidance from an older woman. Perhaps Lady Danbury takes Eloise under her wing and guides her political activism in a less scandalous direction - we did see in Queen Charlotte that Lady Danbury is political and has the knack for making change without causing too much scandal.
Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix
6. Kate Pregnant:
This is a storyline that makes sense for a number of reasons. In the books Edmund is born in 1815 and if they are keeping closer to the books for this season then it makes sense that they will include Edmund into the storyline. Also, I believe the season is taking place later in the year than usual (read my reasonings here), so if the social season is taking place after summer, and a few months after the season 2 epilogue, it makes sense that Kate will be pregnant as season 3 begins. This is a storyline that could play into the arcs for three of the main characters, first Anthony becoming a father and continuing the Bridgerton legacy, for Eloise it could play into her fear of childbirth and marriage (see below), and finally for Kate it will be a very good way for her backstory to be explored, in particular around her biological mother and father.
Image Credit: Netflix
7. Eloise's fear of childbirth:
In season 1 we saw Eloise talking about the night Hyacinth was born, this is something that was brief and the scene in question was focused on Daphne's desire to be a mother, but nothing is accidental or coincidental in Bridgerton, and this scene also sets up Eloise and her story arc. With Kate and Anthony married, and living at Bridgerton House with the family, Eloise will be exposed daily to a loving - and equal - marriage, and I can see this being something to influence her views as she comes to understand that with the right person a woman does not need to lose herself in marriage. Further to this a pregnancy storyline for Kate can peripherally impact Eloise and put her on the path of reconciling her strident views with a differing reality to what she has understood, and tie into her overall arc as she moves closer to her season and becoming a step mother and mother.
8. Marina's Fate:
With the news that Ruby Barker won't be returning to Bridgerton it is likely that season 3 could see Marina's fate playing out, with news of Marina's death reaching London and those in Grosvenor Square. The death of Marina plays into two of the storylines and character arcs that will be prominent in season 3. Indirectly Marina's fate will help with pushing along Eloise's story arc, but more directly it will impact on Colin and Penelope's story as well. We have heard that Colin is going to have one of the worst reactions in the Ton to the news that Penelope is Lady Whistledown, implying that he will be angry with her, and it makes sense that it could be tied to Marina.
Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix
9. Featherington Heir:
One of the storylines that I think will be wrapped up from season 2 is the issue of the next Featherington heir with the fraud committed by Portia, the reason that I believe this will be wrapped up in Season 3 is because I can see this being the final season for the Featherington family to appear as a main family in the Bridgerton world. Despite some views, I don't think we will see Penelope giving birth to the Featherington heir as I don't believe this will be part of her story arc, in fact I would like to see Philippa have a pregnancy storyline in Season 3, ending with her having a boy in the season and completing the storyline of the Featherington heir from Season 2.
Image Credit: Netflix
10. Marcus Anderson as the half brother of Violet Bridgerton
Whilst there has been some speculation that Marcus Anderson could be a love interest for Violet, I have a belief that the storyline with Marcus will have him as a half brother to Violet - the child of Lady Danbury and Lord Ledger. We have been told by Shonda that some of the storylines from Queen Charlotte will spill into Bridgerton Season 3, and the love affair between Lady Danbury and Lord Ledger is one of the most obvious storylines to continue in the main series. I don't think that the show will go so far as to hint at a potential incest storyline, so Marcus won't be a love interest for Violet.
During the Valentine's Day event more stills were released by Bridgerton, and among them was one of Eloise (and some of her family) arriving at a ball.
Image Credit: LIAM DANIEL/Netflix
Setting:
There is nothing in the still that definitively tells us the location, however, there are a few clues that can lead to an educated guess.
First, we know it is at a ball based on the way everyone is dressed, and that it looks like it is evening. We also know that this is in the second episode, which rules out it being Lady Danbury's ball.
Second, we note that Eloise appears to be higher than her mother, brothers and sister, indicating they are climbing stairs to enter the ball.
Third we note that the Bridgerton carriage is in the background, and the horses for a second
carriage can be seen behind the carriage (I will get to the carriage a little later in the post).
In July 2022 filming leaks and paparazzi pictures showed that the production were filming at the estate Osterley Park, which I have concluded to be the setting for a ball in episode 2 based on an image of Penelope and Colin released, which I wrote about here.
Image Credit: Wikipedia
Osterley House has steps that lead up into an outdoor courtyard which appears, from both paparazzi pictures and the Penelope and Colin still, to be where the ball most likely is taking place.
The significance (or not) of the carriages:
As I said above we see a Bridgerton carriage in the shot behind the family, and we see the horses for what is, most likely, a second carriage behind this. In one of the paparazzi pictures from this shoot in 2022 the two Bridgerton carriages were seen, one of which is the carriage seen behind Eloise and her family. It is a reasonable deduction that the horses noted in the official still beyond the carriage, could be for the other Bridgerton carriage, which indicates that two carriages were needed to convey the Bridgertons to the ball.
Image Credit: Splashnews.com via Daily Mail Online
We don't know definitively which is the main Bridgerton carriage (ie: the carriage most likely to be used by the Viscount and Viscountess), but it is likely that the light blue carriage will be the one that they will use, as it is bigger, appears more luxurious and is in the Bridgerton colours. In past seasons we have seen that carriage used mainly for Violet and the girls, but we have also seen Anthony use it when his mother and sisters have not needed to use it. It is a reasonable conclusion that now Anthony is married he, and Kate, will be the ones to use this carriage as theirs, being the Viscount and Viscountess.
We have seen two other Bridgeton carriages being used, one is a Black carriage that was used by Benedict in season 1, and we saw in season 2 taking Anthony, Benedict and Gregory to Eloise's presentation. We have also seen a dark blue carriage that we saw Colin use in season 2 when he went to visit Marina.
I deduce that the light blue carriage is the main family carriage used by the Viscount and Viscountess, and before he married Anthony was happy for his mother to use this one predominantly, however, I can see it now being used mainly by Kate and Anthony. The black carriage appears to be mainly for Benedict's use, as we have seen him using it without Anthony being present, which indicates it is not primarily Anthony's carriage (though technically all of the carriages are Anthony's).
So what is the possible significance of the carriages? Well, that there are two carriages present, and not just the one larger light blue carriage, suggests that there are more than Violet, Francesca, Eloise, Benedict and Colin present from the Bridgerton family, and that Kate and Anthony are likely to also be present at the ball, otherwise I think they would have all been able to fit into the larger light blue carriage (we saw all four girls and Violet fit into that carriage in season 2).
Scene:
As discussed above, this scene looks to be the arrival at a ball, and is most likely the ball filmed at Osterley Park in 2022.
Looking at the family, Eloise is looking straight ahead, though it is hard to know if she is the one leading the family in, or if perhaps Kate and Anthony are in front of her and the still is just taken from in front of Eloise.
Eloise is looking determined, but not happy or excited, indicating that whilst she has made the decision to embrace the season she is not necessarily going to enjoy it. We see violet and Benedict both looking at Eloise, though with them being out of focus it is hard to get a definitive reading on their facial expressions, but Violet looks a little worried, and Benedict is also looking concerned, possibly both are feeling some concern for Eloise.
One of the reasons I think that someone (possibly Kate and Anthony) is in front of Eloise is that Colin appears to be looking past Eloise and towards someone in front of her, again as he is not fully in focus it is hard to get a reading on the facial expression, but it is not one of interest or excitement, almost as if this is something he feels obligated to do, but maybe doesn't necessarily want to do.
Francesca is the only one not looking forward, but is rather looking out to the side, which leads to the speculation of who (or what) she is looking at. Francesca appears to be half looking sideways, as opposed to being fully turned towards the subject of her interest, so could she be looking at John?
Look:
We don't have a really good look at what Benedict and Colin are wearing so I am going to focus on the women in the still.
Francesca:
Francesca appears to be wearing a lilac and white gown, which is a colour that Bridgerton has often used to signal a female character falling in love - or about to fall in love. This could indicate that Francesca is falling in love with John, or is about to meet him for the first time. It is a departure from previous seasons where Eloise and Daphne often wore Bridgerton blue to balls.
Violet:
Speaking of Bridgerton Blue, Violet's gown looks to be predominantly blue, though there is an appearance of lilac within the blue on her gown, which is an interesting choice for Violet, could she be going to fall in love this season? One thing I note with violet's gown is the "cold shoulder" sleeves which gives it a modern sort of feel, whilst it does not have the same anachronism as we have seen for some of the styling choices, it definitely has a hint of it, which on its own wouldn't be too bad, but from what we have seen in images so far a lot of the styling has these choices which, I think, tips it from 'Regency fantasy' to just ridiculous. It is interesting to note that Violet does not appear to be wearing any jewellery or hair adornments, with the exception of her dress her overall look is very plain.
Eloise:
Eloise is in light green, which is a colour we have seen her in before, and is a colour that symbolises the connection between Bridgerton blue and Featherington yellow, could this be a colour to indicate a significant moment or scene with Eloise and Penelope? Eloise's dress is detailed with a floral pattern, which seems to be a theme for this season but also could hint at her future love story. Whilst I like Eloise's dress I think the style invokes the idea of a 1950s sheath dress style as opposed to the Empire waistlines of the Regency period, and combined with an almost art deco style necklace, it is not making me automatically think Regency period. Eloise's hair is up and appears to have hair adornments that match the colour of her dress.
As a series Bridgerton is unique in that each season there will be different leads, however, from season 1 to season 2 we saw some scenes that were similar (or the same) that gave recognition to the viewers, that some fans have dubbed as Bridgerton 'traditions'. In addition to the scenes that have been the same across season 1 and season 2, there are scenes in season 2 that could be established as a tradition, and that fans would like to see continue in future seasons.
Will we see any of Bridgerton 'traditions' whether new or (semi) established in season 3? It is hard to say, but it appears that at least one of the new traditions may be seen in the season.
Below are five Bridgerton 'traditions' that we may get in season 3.
Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix
The previous season's leads as the first main character seen
This is not exactly a Bridgerton 'tradition' yet as we have only had two seasons so far, however, there is potential for it to be set as a Bridgerton 'tradition' in season 3.
In season 2 the first main character we see is Daphne as she is travelling to Bridgerton House for Eloise's presentation. This is symbolic of Daphne being the previous season lead and the show transitioning to the new season lead of Anthony, almost like she is handing over the lead role.
Within the fandom there were rumours that season 2 was meant to open with a scene of Daphne and Simon in an intimate moment, however, due to the departure of Rege Jean Page this was changed to the carriage scene.
From a personal perspective I would like to see Kate and Anthony as the first main characters we see in season 3, an intimate scene of just the two of them enjoying each others company would be a great way for season 3 to begin, and to show that the Viscount and Viscountess are still very important to both the family and the show, it would also serve as a transition from the season 2 leads to the season 3 leads.
I am ready for my close up....
In both season 1 and season 2 at the end of the cold open (immediately before the opening credits) there is a close up of the lead Bridgerton for the season.
In season 1 we see a close up of Daphne just after she has been shown the favour of the Queen, which is immediately followed by the opening credits. Similarly in season 2 we see a close up of Anthony, just after the Queen has called off the presentation, and immediately followed by the opening credits.
If this 'tradition' is followed in season 3, then it would be expected that we will get a close up of Colin just before the title sequence begins, but where will Colin be? what will the context be? Could it be the still of Colin where he looks to be staring towards the Featherington House? Or will it be at a different location? Will Colin be at Francesca's presentation? If not will that impact the next of the Bridgerton 'traditions'?
Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix
The Presentation is the main set piece immediately before the title sequence
In both season 1 and season 2 the cold open of the season has included the presentation to the Queen, with the Bridgerton being focused on present (or in the case of season 1 being presented), but will that be the same for season 3?
As mentioned above, the final close up shot immediately before the opening credits in the previous two seasons has been that of the Bridgerton main character for the season, but will Colin be at Francesca's presentation? From images seen from the set leaks in 2022 Colin appears to be returning from travel as the family see to be preparing to leave for Francesca's presentation, which lends itself to the final scene before the titles not being at the presentations this season if they do have the final shot of the cold open being the Bridgerton lead. This is assuming that Colin does not attend Francesca's presentation, but of course Colin may still attend, thus keeping both the close up of the sibling and the presentation sequence altogether as in previous seasons. There could also be a switch from the presentation to Grosvenor Square for the close up of Colin, or the show could end the cold open with a close up of a different sibling, such as Francesca, thereby breaking the 'tradition' they followed in season 1 and season 2.
In my opinion, if it comes down to choosing between the presentation being the cold open, or the final shot being a close up of the Bridgerton sibling the season is about, is that I would prefer to see the focus being on the Bridgerton sibling the season is about with the presentation being placed after the opening credits.
Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix
Bridgerton Blue
As with the first 'tradition' I discussed, the wearing of Blue has not yet been established as a tradition in the show, as the first female lead was a Bridgerton, but it is definitely something that appears will be introduced based on one of the stills from season 3.
Blue, more specifically a light blue, is the colour that is associated with the Bridgerton Family, and so it was Daphne's main colour in season 1, until she married and began wearing purples that mixed the Bridgerton Blue with the Hastings Red. Kate was not a Bridgerton, so her colour palette was quite different, opting for darker Blues, Greens and Purples, however, we saw a couple of instances where Kate was wearing the lighter 'Bridgerton' Blue colour during season 2.
The first instance of Kate wearing the lighter Blue was at the Conservatory Ball in episode 1 where she became aware of Anthony's identity, and had her second encounter with him. The second instance is at the beginning of episode 4 at Aubrey Hall. In this second instance Kate's dress is patterned, and compliments the waistcoat we see Anthony wearing, thus signalling to the viewers that it is Anthony and Kate that are destined to be together.
One of the recently released stills for season 3 shows Penelope in a Blue gown, and whilst not the pale blue that is generally associated with the Bridgertons, it is a departure for Penelope by the costume designers. Generally we have seen Penelope in the gaudy yellows of the Featherington family, however, there have been moments of her in other colours, specifically Green, which has been used to foreshadow Penelope as a Bridgerton Bride with the mix of the Blue and the Yellow.
I believe that we will possibly see Penelope in Blue at least one more time before her marriage, however, I am of the opinion that Penelope's colours will primarily lean towards Green as, like Daphne, she will mix the colours of her family and that of the family she has married into.
Image Credit: Netflix
The Viscountess Bridgerton with the last line of the series
One thing that I found interesting is that in both season 1 and season 2 The Viscountess Bridgerton had the last line of the season.
In the season 1 epilogue we saw Daphne giving birth to Augie, Violet asks what they will name him, and Simon replies that it had to start with an A, after all they had traditions. Violet responds to Simon with 'yes, we do', ending season 1. At this time, as Anthony was unmarried Violet was still The Viscountess Bridgerton, thus giving The Viscountess Bridgerton the last line of the season.
In the season 2 epilogue the family gather together for a game of Pall Mall after Anthony and Kate returned from their honeymoon. We see Kate and Anthony engage in banter and Daphne suggesting they may want to cut out - which both of them immediately deny, Anthony then suggests they return upstairs to which Kate responds with 'and admit defeat? Never', with the second season ending at this point. Kate is now The Viscountess Bridgerton due to her marriage to Anthony, meaning again the Viscountess has the final line of the season.
Was this a coincidence, or was it deliberate having the Viscountess with the final line in each season? If this was a deliberate choice, what does this mean for season 3? Will it become a tradition that the show continues? Thus ensuring each epilogue going forward will be a family scene giving Kate (or Violet) the final line? Or will a different character say the final line of the season in the future?
I like the idea that the same character has the final line in each season to tie them together, and I don't believe that the final line was given to a character to 'pass on' to the next couple as neither Daphne or Simon said the last line in season 1, so it is open for the show to make it a tradition for The Viscountess Bridgerton, or The Dowager Viscountess, to say the final line in each season if they want to do that.
