Bridgerton season 4 part 1 is building towards Francesca's queer romance storyline

One of Netflix's most popular shows is finally back! Bridgerton season 4 part 1 is now available to stream on Netflix, and fans are tuning in to catch all the romance, scandal, and high-society drama they’ve come to love.

This season, the spotlight finally shifts to Benedict Bridgerton, the artsy, free‑spirited second son who’s spent past seasons dodging commitment. But all of that changes when he crashes his mom’s legendary masquerade ball and locks eyes with a mystery woman in silver.

It’s an instant spark. Only problem? She slips away before he can learn her name, leaving Benedict determined to find her again. Of course, viewers know her name to be Sophie Baek, a resourceful maid hiding her true identity.

But while Benedict and Sophie's love story takes center stage in Bridgerton season 4, there are also side storylines that unfold. One of those side stories involves Francesca and John. If you recall from the third season, Francesca quietly finds love with John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin. Their romance was a stark contrast to the whirlwind, high-drama storylines of her siblings.

But there was also a hint at the very end of the season that Francesca’s story might not be entirely conventional. With the introduction of John's cousin, Michaela, the season 3 finale hinted that Francesca might eventually explore her sexuality and perhaps discover feelings beyond her marriage. Those who read When He Was Wicked know that Francesca doesn't stay with John forever.

John passes away, and she ends up with his cousin Michael. For the hit period drama series, Michael has been gender-swapped into Michaela. This opens the door for Francesca’s story to explore a queer romance, and in Bridgerton season 4 part 1, the show has already started planting the seeds.

Spoilers from Bridgerton season 4 part 1 are ahead!

Francesca and John make their first appearance in Bridgerton season 4 during the opening episode. They return to Mayfair from Scotland to attend Lady Bridgerton's masquerade ball. While the rest of the guests enjoy the lively festivities on the dance floor, John and Francesca share a brief conversation from the balcony above. John suggests that they remain in Mayfair for the social season, and Francesca brings up Michaela, wondering how she might feel since they had spent the summer with her in Scotland.

John then tells her he noticed they had been keeping their distance from each other. During this scene, Francesca clearly appears a bit awkward when speaking about Michaela. However, John interprets her discomfort as simply being the result of navigating the early days of their newlywed life while living under the same roof as Michaela.

As the season continues on, Francesca and John eventually run into an issue in their marriage. Whenever Francesca and John sleep together, she's unable to reach her "pinnacle." In other words, they're having problems in the bedroom. This is one of the little seeds that we were talking about earlier. We're not saying Francesca doesn't love John. It's obvious that she does. She even reaches out to family and friends, hoping to figure out a solution to her problem.

But you can tell that the writers are using these intimate struggles to hint at something deeper. Francesca's inability to fully connect with John isn’t a reflection of their love. It’s a sign that she may have feelings and desires she hasn’t yet fully understood. Things really get complicated when Michaela unexpectedly arrives in Mayfair and travels to Francesca and John's house. At this point in the season, Francesca and John are back in a good place in their marriage.

But based on Francesca's facial expression when Michaela shows up on their doorstep, it's clear she's still struggling with her feelings. This is the last time we see Francesca, John, and Michaela in part 1. Bridgerton has pretty much followed the books with only slight changes when it comes to the love interests. That said, we'll likely see Francesca end up with Michaela when her season comes.

Now that Michaela is back in Mayfair, there will likely be a lot of drama in Bridgerton season 4 part 2 as Francesca works through her suppressed feelings. We can't wait to see what happens next when the second and final part drops on Netflix on Feb. 26!