Bridgerton character guide (season 1 recap and season 2 predictions)

Netflix fans are gearing up for the release of Bridgerton season 2, and while we wait, we’ll be discussing all the biggest characters in the series and everything you need to know ahead of the show’s return. The romance drama premiered back in Dec. 2020, and we’re now counting down the days for the highly-anticipated second installment to drop later this month.

Of course, when you think of Bridgerton, your mind likely goes to the steamy relationship between Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page), the central characters in season 1 with the most captivating romance.

As you’ll recall, season 1 opens up with Phoebe entering her social season looking for a husband when she meets the Duke, who’s sworn off love. As expected, the two quickly fall for each other but it’s not all roses from there.

In Bridgerton season 2, we focus on a new set of characters as Daphne and Simon are married and starting their lives as parents and Daphne’s younger brother Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) is ready for his social season.

Let’s break down all the characters you should be familiar with going into the second season.

Daphne Bridgerton

Daphne is eager to find love in Bridgerton season 1, but her journey to happily ever after is far from easy. She and the Duke meet in season 1 episode 1, though their relationship starts off as platonic. Frustrated with the way the social season is shaping up, they pretend to be romantically involved so that Daphne can make herself seem more desirable and Simon can avoid women pursuing him.

Do Daphne and Simon end up together in Bridgerton?

Though Daphne and Simon have quite the will-they, won’t-they relationship which often leads to tears, they do end up together by the end of Bridgerton season 1. After they admit they have feelings for one another and get together, more conflict comes about when it’s revealed Simon does not ever want to have children. He had lied to Daphne and told her he simply could not have them. Later on we discover he doesn’t want to have kids because of his strained relationship with his own father. This, as expected, throws a major wrench in Simon and Daphne’s relationship.

Do Daphne and Simon have a child in Bridgerton?

Fortunately, though, Simon eventually comes around and the two welcome a baby boy in the Bridgerton season 1 finale. We’re not sure how much we’ll see of their child in season 2, but we’re hoping we get a couple of scenes at least!

Is Daphne in Bridgerton season 2?

It’s been confirmed that Daphne will be in Bridgerton season 2! However, we shouldn’t expect her to be the star of the show this time around, as season 2 will follow the second book in Julia Quinn’s series, The Viscount Who Loved Me. Just like we followed Daphne in her social season in season 1, we’ll be watching Anthony go through a similar journey in season 2.

Simon Basset (The Duke)

When watching Bridgerton season 1 from Daphne’s perspective, Simon is one of the most frustrating characters! This is because he’s completely shut off from love, marriage, and starting a family even though it’s obvious he has feelings for Daphne. At the start of season 1, the Duke has no interest in romances and intends to avoid women at the balls. Of course, though, he can’t avoid Daphne, who he immediately takes a liking to. Simon has many internal struggles that we get to see throughout season 1.

What happened to Simon and his dad?

Simon’s mom sadly died during childbirth, and his dad certainly was not a loving parent. All his dad cared about was having an heir, but when Simon formed a speech impediment at a young age, his dad all but cut him off. When a friend of his mother’s, Lady Danbury, came to visit, she was shocked to find Simon alive and decided to take him in, knowing she’d give him a better life than his father could.

When Simon’s dad died years later, Simon promised him he would never have children so he wouldn’t carry the family’s name with an heir. This, of course, was out of spite.

Simon’s traumatic childhood stays with him throughout season 1, and it’s the reason why he’s so against having kids.

Is Simon in Bridgerton season 2?

Netflix completely shocked Bridgerton fans back in April 2021 when they announced Simon would not appear in the second season. It wasn’t revealed why we won’t see the heartthrob on our screens again, but needless to say fans were heartbroken over the news. The good news, however, is that we’ll be seeing Regé-Jean Page on Netflix again soon enough, as he’s starring in the upcoming Russo Brothers movie The Gray Man.

See the announcement post about Page’s unfortunate departure below.

https://twitter.com/bridgerton/status/1378015697238908929

Anthony Bridgerton

In Bridgerton season 1, we’re introduced to Anthony as Daphne’s younger brother. He’s in a secret relationship with an opera singer named Siena, and though he’s not yet looking for a wife, he does meddle in with Daphne’s social season. He’s actually the person who introduces Daphne to Simon, though of course he couldn’t have predicted they’d fall in love. Throughout the first half of the season, he pressures Daphne into marrying someone else.

By the end of season 1, Anthony decides he’s ready to find a wife. This is what we’ll be following in season 2!

Eloise Bridgerton

Though Eloise (Claudia Jessie) and Daphne are sisters, they couldn’t be more different. Eloise watches her sister with admiration in Bridgerton season 1, but knows she’d rather read a book than go to a ball and try to find a husband. She has another year until her social season, and she’s already dreading having to put herself out there.

Eloise is best friends with Penelope Featherington, and often shares her theories as to Lady Whistledown’s identity with her. She discovers by the end of season 1 that Genevieve is not the anonymous author after all, disappointing her.

In Bridgerton season 2, Eloise will be one of the central characters as she finally has to make her debut.

Penelope Featherington

Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) is the youngest sister of the Featherington family, who unlike the Bridgertons who are wealthy and very well-regarded, face some struggles in season 1. She makes her society debut in the first season, although she’s very hesitant about it. Penelope’s best friend is Eloise, though she’s also very close with Colin Bridgerton, who she forms a crush on.

Sadly for Penelope, she watches Colin grow close with her cousin Marina, and she tries her best to keep them apart. At the end of season 1, she finds out that her father died, which is expectedly heartbreaking for the whole family. Penelope does not end up with anyone in season 1, but we’ll be curious to see if that changes in season 2.

Who is Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton?

Another major plot point for Penelope is that she is Lady Whistledown! That’s right–Penelope is the anonymous author who sends spicy letters covering the social season throughout Bridgerton. Her identity is revealed at the end of season 1, and we expect her to be just as active writing in season 2. We’ll have to wait to find out if anyone discovers who Lady Whistledown truly is.

Kate Sharma

Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) is a new character who will be introduced in Bridgerton season 2. According to Netflix, “Kate is a smart, headstrong young woman who suffers no fools — Anthony Bridgerton very much included.” She’s a character from the book series, so those who have read the source material should know what to expect from her. But if you haven’t read the books, Netflix also describes Kate as “equal parts headstrong and whip-smart,” adding:

“Her sharp wit and independent nature make her a singular force on the 1814 marriage mart, where she hopes to secure a love match for her younger sister, Edwina.”

Who plays Kate in Bridgerton?

Simone Ashley portrays Kate in season 2, who should be a familiar face for Sex Education fans! The actress plays the character Olivia Hanan in the Netflix comedy, one of Ruby’s best friends. Ashley has also appeared in the shows Broadchurch, C.B. Strike, and The Sister.

Edwina Sharma

Another new character in Bridgerton season 2 is Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran), Kate’s younger sister who is entering the social season looking for a husband. According to Shondaland TV, Edwina, “has been taught by her older sister Kate to be the perfect debutante. She’s kind-natured and endlessly endearing. But while she may be young and naive, she also knows what she wants: a true love match.”

We cannot wait to find out whether Edwina finds her one true love or not!

Who plays Edwina in Bridgerton?

The actress portraying Edwina in Bridgerton season 2 is Charithra Chandran, who is still pretty new to the entertainment business. Her acting credits include the show Alex Rider, the movie Class S, and a few shorts. We’re sure the Netflix series will put her on the map!

Bridgerton season 2 debuts on Netflix on March 25, 2022. Check back with us for all of our coverage here at Netflix Life!