Every clue that points to the identity of the new Lady Whistledown
Dearest gentle reader, Bridgerton season four has shocked us once again. Season three saw Penelope Featherington step out from behind the curtain, revealing herself as the elusive Lady Whistledown to evolved from wallflower to woman in control. But if you’ve watched all of season four, you’ll know she goes on to retire her pen. Don’t be mistaken, however. We’re not done with Lady Whistledown just yet.
In the final episode, Colin returns home with a new Whistledown pamphlet — one that’s been written by someone new entirely. It ends with Julie Andrews familiar voice, who says: “Are you perhaps feeling a little shock? You thought I was gone for good, but far too much transpires for this author to remain silent. It is assuredly a reunion rooted in care and love. Though this time with a very different author.”
Of course, the entire fandom is now in overdrive trying to decode exactly who has picked up the pen. We’re decoding all the clues about the identity of the new Lady Whistledown, below.
Is there a new Lady Whistledown in the books?
No, this is one major moment where Netflix’s adaptation veers away from Julia Quinn’s books.
The writers of the show already know who Lady Whistledown is
Although there’s no book to glean this information from, the show’s writers aren’t completely in the dark. Speaking to Business Insider, showrunner Jess Brownell confirmed that the identity of the new columnist is known to the creative team.
“We’ve allowed ourselves to create a genuine mystery with red herrings and clues and whatnot about who Whistledown might be, which we’re really excited about,” she said. In other words, there are clues in the existing episodes, you just need to look for them. And it won’t be another out-of-the-box Gossip Girl-style reveal, with Brownell adding, “I know that there were some feelings around like, ‘Wait, what, Dan?’ So, I do think it is important to have clarity of suspect.”
So, who is the new Lady Whistledown?
Well, here’s where things get interesting. While we’re hopeful that the columnist’s identity is revealed in season five, fans are happy to speculate until then.
Alice Mondrich, the Queen’s newest Lady in Waiting is one name that’s been thrown in the mix. As one user pointed out on reddit, “She did mention to the queen that she’s missing all the good gossip! And she has access to all the nobility.” Echoing a similar sentiment, another user added: “I agree. She mentioned she wanted to help people and do more than decorating!!”
Another possible replacement is Hyacinth Bridgerton, who received a larger storyline in season four. There’s still a few years to go before Hyacinth receives her own dedicated storyline, so this would give her something fun to do until then. As one reddit user noticed, “she was upset about Lady Whistledown ending, I think she said something like “who’s going to write when I debut” but that could have just been foreshadowing I guess we will see!” Strengthening this theory, another user wrote, “In the books, she loves gossip and was also mentioned that she would have made a good spy. Lol there was never another whistledown in the books but if there was, she has the personality for it.”
Reddit has also made mention of Posy Penwood, who was introduced to the ton in season four. One user pointed out that her name could be the clue we’ve been missing all along. ” [Since] watching bridgerton I learned that their names are related to their identity,” they wrote. “Penelope Featherington = quill pen. Killmartin = killed. Posy Penwood = poser pen or posing as pen.” We have to admit, it’s convincing.
