Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) is distraught upon learning Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) is Lady Whistledown, the famed gossip writer on Bridgerton. The Netflix show dedicates each season to a romance of one of the Bridgerton siblings, so far focusing on Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), Anthony (Jonthan Bailey), and Colin (Luke Newton). However, one of the main “B” storylines is Eloise uncovering the real identity of Lady Whistledown and how Penelope tries to keep it a secret. Initially, Eloise wants to unmask Lady Whistledown so she can learn from her how as she admires the writer’s accomplishments, but that changes.
As the series continues, Eloise’s reasons change to wanting to convince Lady Whistledown to write about the things she wants. This comes to a head when Queen Charlotte believes Eloise was Lady Whistledown. Desperate to find a solution, Penelope exposes Eloise’s trips to political rallies, which forces the Queen to back off Eloise but also taints the Bridgertons. Eloise connects the writer and her best friend in the Bridgerton season 2 finale, “The Viscount Who Loved Me,” when she recognizes that the way Penelope talks is the same as how Lady Whistledown writes. The discovery shatters their friendship.
Eloise Feels Betrayed By Penelope
Eloise Is Just As Mad At Herself As Penelope
…instead of using her privileged position to make something of herself, Eloise wallows in it.
While Eloise sees what Penelope did as a betrayal, her anger and hurt come from a deeper place. Eloise admires Lady Whistledown for her success, independence, and distaste for society. Penelope, however, is someone whom Eloise has never associated with these qualities; instead, viewing her as meek, under her mother’s control, and above all else, kind. Eloise’s anger truly stems from jealousy that she was not the one to break from society’s restrictions and that Penelope has not been the person she always thought she was.
Eloise prides herself on being a woman ahead of her time, but instead of using her privileged position to make something of herself, Eloise wallows in it. Daphne’s successful marriage to a Duke affords Eloise the luxury of not having to marry. Yet, she does nothing to make herself independent and berates Daphne, as well as other women, for doing what is necessary for their family by marrying. When speaking with Penelope, every conversation is about Eloise and what she wants for herself.
Still, whenever Penelope expresses her wish to both be successful and to marry, Eloise looks down on her for wanting it all. Eloise’s discovery that Penelope is Lady Whistledown and the first of them to achieve what she wants for herself cause her to look inward at how she has underestimated and undervalued Penelope and her potential. It is no wonder that the first time Eloise truly listened to Penelope when she spoke, she heard her real voice.
Penelope is the one person whom Eloise feels she does not disappoint and who has never shown judgment for Eloise’s ambitions.
Penelope being Lady Whistledown also deeply hurts Eloise due to how different the two are. Penelope is sweet, non-confrontational, and unconditionally in love with Colin Bridgerton, while Lady Whistledown is cutthroat, opinionated, and very critical of the courtships throughout the social season. While Eloise looks up to Lady Whistledown as someone to aspire to be, she also depends on Penelope’s loyalty and caring nature.
Penelope is the one person whom Eloise feels she does not disappoint and who has never shown judgment for Eloise’s ambitions. The revelation that Penelope is Lady Whistledown makes Eloise wonder how someone so gentle could be capable of what Lady Whistledown has done and throws into question how much of her friendship with Penelope is real and how much is all a lie.
Going into Bridgerton season 3, Eloise and Penelope have not solved their issues, and with the main love story being Colin and Penelope’s, Eloise and Penelope’s former closeness is an important part of the story.
How Eloise Being Mad At Penelope Plays Into Season 3
The Wedge Between Them Sees Eloise Become Friends With Cressida
When Bridgerton returns for season 3, all of the characters are also returning to London for the social season, having spent the winter away in the countryside. During that time, Eloise and Penelope have not spoken. In fact, the audience sees the first time the two come face-to-face since their fight when they run into one another at the modiste. Their interactions are not full of anger at this point, but a deep sadness.
It’s clear that Eloise still wants Penelope in her life, but cannot reconcile what she knows of her former best friend with what she knows of Lady Whistledown. She cannot move beyond Penelope’s dishonesty with her even as she’s watching Penelope attempt to find a suitor across ballrooms during season 3. She even checks on Penelope repeatedly throughout the season, seemingly unable to let go of how much she cares for her, but unwilling to forgive her actions. She also encourages Colin to help Penelope find a husband despite the potential impropriety of the plan.
Eloise’s anger, however, during the time away from the social scene, also seems to have shifted to her being fearful of being an outsider. While she relished her outsider status in the first two seasons of the show, believing herself more enlightened than the other young ladies of the ton, the third season sees her spending all of her time with Cressida, the same young woman who has bullied Penelope throughout their shared time on the marriage mart. That places her squarely in the middle of the social scene.
Eloise’s newfound friendship with Cressida, however, demonstrates that Eloise is actually learning just how much she values kindness, but she is also learning how to be a good friend. In all of their previous interactions, Penelope was always portrayed as the better friend with Eloise not realizing that she approached all of her relationships from a place of privilege others didn’t have. Without Penelope and ostracized by other members of the ton for her association with rebels, Eloise is approached with kindness by Cressida.
During their friendship, Eloise has actually been helping Cressida to become a better person, someone who will help a friend in need instead of simply rant to them about her own misfortune. She is also becoming more self-reflective. She accuses Cressida of being the one to spread a secret about Penelope to the rest of the ton before realizing its her own indiscretion that has made Penelope the subject of gossip. Without having Penelope to lean on, Eloise is growing.
Just how this growth will play out remains to be seen, however, as the prospect of Colin and Penelope marrying has Eloise rattled in the first part of Bridgerton season 3.
