Colin Bridgerton might manage the Featherington estate in Season 4 of Bridgerton, but one hint from Season 2 raises question about his authority.
Season 3 of Bridgerton brought Colin and Penelope’s love story to a close, but things are looking bright for them in the future season. Now parents to a son, as per what we learned in the second season, their child will be the new Lord Featherington.
While that in itself is good news for the parents, it raises another dilemma for Colin, who will probably take on the responsibility of the Featherington estate as a steward, giving him power but no title. That subtle nuance speaks volumes about power, identity, and legacy in high-society drama as Bridgerton.
Colin’s ‘Featherington’ Dilemma in Bridgerton
Colin Bridgerton’s marriage to Penelope was not only advantageous for Penelope but also for Colin. The third of the Briderton siblings, he has long lived under the shadows of his brothers and is sure will not inherit the Bridgerton estate, given the long line of inheritors.
However, with his marriage, not only does it begin a beautiful chapter in his love life, but it also makes him the de facto head of the Featherington estate. But it also comes with a dilemma for Luke Newton’s character.
As per what we learned in the second season, the next head of the said estate would be the first son born to either of the sisters. Given that Penelope was the only sister to have a son, the estate passes directly to him. So while Colin will be the ‘head’, unfortunately, he will never get to assume the ‘Featherington’ title.
This is because, despite his authority, Colin is not, and never will be, the Lord of Featherington. That title belongs solely to his young son, making Colin effectively a steward, not a lord. Meanwhile, Polly Walker’s Portia, Penelope’s mother, retains the title of Lady Featherington and remains the official lady of the house until her grandson’s adulthood and eventual marriage.
Colin and Pen will share the prestige in name as ‘Mr and Mrs. Bridgerton,’ but they may lack the actual nobility that comes with being Featheringtons.
This detail will create a rather interesting power dynamic in the upcoming seasons, even more so since Polly Walker recently teased in a new interview that the fourth season will be a lot more mischievous than the previous ones.
Bridgerton Season 4 Is About To Get a Lot More Mischievous
Season 4 of Netflix’s Bridgerton will not only feature the love story of the next sibling, Benedict, but it will also bring a lot more mayhem and complexity within the Featherington household.
Given the above-mentioned dilemma, Nicola Coughlan’s Penelope may gain more practical control, but her mother will legally overshadow her.
While we cannot wait to witness what the show has been cooking for us, recently Polly Walker, the actress who portrays Lady Portia Featherington, teased that longtime characters of the show are about to up the game. While talking to Collider at the International Global Series Festival, she revealed:
” I think this season will be — which we’ve just finished doing — I think it’s a very different tone. Sort of upstairs-downstairs, so you get to know some of the other, you know, the servants, the people who are standing at the door, witnessing it all. You get to hear their stories a bit more. ”
As for her own character, she grinned while stating that “Lady Featherington is still up to no good“. Moreover, she also cleared the air about one long-standing fan speculation that her character might potentially get a boyfriend in the next season!
” No! They’ve decided that I’m not worthy of a boyfriend. I desperately need a boyfriend, but they won’t give me one. They give everybody else boyfriends. ”
An adaptation of Julia Quinn’s An Offer From a Gentleman, we can thus expect the fourth season to be full of romance and charm, with its usual mix of high-stakes drama, some petty rivalries, and hidden motivations. A potential masterclass in layered social drama, who do you think will truly end up taking charge in Season 4?
Season 4 of Bridgerton will be released in 2026, while the other three seasons are available to stream on Netflix.
