NB: I am aware that one of the stills released last week has many thinking Kate is showing a baby bump, at this stage I am not using that as confirmation for my belief that Kate is pregnant, as I am not sure that she has a baby bump in that picture, but rather that it is just the folds of the gown and a trick of the eye. You can read more about my thoughts on that in this Tumblr post.
Last week I wrote a post about my thoughts on the title of the episodes in part 1 of season 3, noting that episode 2 was named How Bright the Moon, and that the moon contains symbolism relating to women and their fertility, I said that this could mean we see confirmation of Kate being pregnant in this episode of the season, with it being possible that episode 2 could be themed around women and fertility. However, it is not just the name of this episode and the moon symbolism that suggests Kate's pregnancy in season 3, as we have seen Kate surrounded with symbols of fertility in much of the promotion for season 3, in addition to the season 2 epilogue.
Image Credit: Netflix
The epilogue of season 2 begins by showing us Kate and Anthony alone in bed, and the dialogue tells us they have married, directly after this scene we see a bee pollinating a flower. Within different cultures bees have many different symbols, including symbols such as prosperity and teamwork which could apply to Kate and Anthony, but in the context of pollination they are most commonly associated with fertility, and this is something that Bridgerton has used the bee for previously. In the epilogue of season 1, after Daphne has given birth, we see a bee present, symbolising fertility and new life, and as the season ended with the bee, it began with a bee. We saw a bee present in the opening of Bridgerton Season 1 just as we begin to hear the Lady Whistledown VoiceOver talk about the Bridgertons being a prolific family, again symbolising fertility - this time of Violet and Edmund. I believe that the presence of the bee, and that it was pollinating a flower, in the epilogue was used as symbolism of Kate's fertility and foreshadowing her being pregnant in season 3.
Video Credit: Bridgerton Netflix on Instagram
We have seen that the fertility symbolism surrounding Kate has continued through to the third season predominantly through her jewellery and hair adornments. In the clip from episode 1 showing Kate and Anthony, Kate appears to be wearing what some have suggested are Chandbali earrings, or moon earrings. As I briefly alluded to in my post last week, moon symbolism has long been connected to women, their cycles and fertility. In some cultures the moon has connections to fertility goddesses, as well as pregnancy and childbirth, so with all these connections it seems logical that the episode titled around the moon will connect into Kate's story and her pregnancy. Whilst some believe that Kate is showing a baby bump in episode 1, which could lead to episode 2 being the birth of baby Edmund, I am more inclined to believe that episode 2 is the episode that the pregnancy becomes known about.
Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix
Whilst bees and the moon are some of the more well known symbols of fertility that we have seen surrounding Kate, we also need to look at some of her hair adornments we have seen, which also could be interpreted as symbols of fertility. In the images of Kate with the family ahead of Francesca's presentation, she is wearing hair adornments which I initially thought may be referring to bay laurel wreaths, but I also floated the possibility that her hair adornment was meant to represent the lotus flower as a connection to her culture. I now think it is more likely a lotus flower which has many symbolic meanings, among which is that of fertility.
The final possibility of fertility symbols in relation to Kate is her hair adornment in the season 3 promotional videos. The hair adornment Kate is wearing in these short promotional videos has the appearance of being stars. As with many things, the symbolism of the stars is multifaceted, but in some religions stars are representative of motherhood, as opposed to fertility only, and the idea of Kate wearing something that resembles stars could be interpreted as foreshadowing - or confirming - Kate becoming a mother.
Video Credit: Bridgerton Netflix Instagram
As we can see the show has surrounded Kate with symbols of fertility and motherhood from the season 2 epilogue, though whether this is a coincidence or by design we can only speculate, but by doing so the production are sending a message (at this stage) that Kate will be pregnant in season 3. As one of these symbols being that of the moon it suggest that the second episode (How Bright the Moon) ties into this theme of fertility and motherhood in relation to Kate.
