Will “Bridgerton” Season 3, Part 2 Tease Other Siblings’ Love Stories?

Spoiler alert: We’ve already gotten a glimpse of Francesca’s future spouse—but we might see the beginning of a few other romances.

Bridgerton’s third season is off to quite the start, as anyone who has seen that carriage scene will tell you. While the first half of the hit Netflix show’s third act primarily focused on main characters Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington (and their ensuing friends-to-lovers romance), there was extra emphasis on the series’ side-plots and supporting players. And since we’ve already seen (subtle) sparks fly between another Bridgerton and her future spouse (spoiler alert!)—Francesca falls in love with the soft-spoken John Stirling, who she ultimately marries in Julia Quinn’s novels—we’re starting to wonder if the show might introduce some other key characters who go on to marry into everyone’s favorite fictional family when Bridgerton season three, part two drops on June 13, 2024.
We’re curious, of course, about these side-plot bread crumbs mainly because they might tell us which storyline will unfold next. The jury is still out on who will be the star of Bridgerton’s fourth season; the show has technically already scrambled the order of the novels (per the books, Benedict Bridgerton should have been the focus of season three!), so we can’t rely on them in this case. Since we’re already off track, it stands to reason that just about anyone—whether that’s Francesca, Benedict, or even Eloise—could be next.
That means we might meet (or in, one sibling’s case, re-meet) even more central characters in the latter portion of season three. These are the love stories Bridgerton might tease in a few short weeks. But you’ve been warned: There are more major spoilers ahead!
Francesca Bridgerton and Michael Stirling

No, that’s not a typo: While we’ve already met John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin, pictured above, who Francesca Bridgerton does indeed go on to marry, their union is tragically short-lived in the book series. Not long after the two are happily wed, John experiences a brain aneurysm and dies—leaving his cousin, closest friend, and infamous playboy (er, rake!) Michael Stirling to inherit his title. Michael, who technically meets Francesca before she is married at a pre-wedding lunch, develops an unrequited crush that he gets a second chance at exploring in the aftermath of his cousin’s death. While John and Francesca are quiet and thoughtful (John’s on-screen romantic gesture of rewriting a score with his future bride’s notes in mind is proof), this new pairing is dynamic and passionate.

Since so much of Francesca and John’s courtship has already unfolded in the show, it’s possible that the Bridgerton season three, part two will feature their engagement—which means we just might get our first glimpse of Michael, who ultimately becomes Francesca’s second husband, at a party celebrating their upcoming union. Considering the fact that this plot line is already in motion, we think Francesca’s story just might be the subject of Bridgerton season four.

Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Beckett
It’s also possible that Benedict’s romance with Sophie Beckett—the illegitimate daughter of an earl who he meets at a party, Cinderella-style, and ends up working as a servant in the Bridgerton household—might kick off in the second half of season three. Benedict, the second-oldest Bridgerton brother, has had several “love” interests so far; the most recent is Lady Tilley Arnold, a widow, who does not appear in Julia Quinn’s books. Though the Netflix series could always switch up Benedict’s end-game relationship, this is unlikely—so it’s equally unlikely that his off-the-cuff romance with Lady Tilley will last.

With the plethora of balls and parties in Bridgerton (there seems to be a different celebration in every episode!), there would be many opportunities for Sophie Beckett to make her debut in the show’s next set of episodes. Fans already seem to think that Sophie’s role has been cast—and since Netflix kept John Stirling’s casting and impromptu appearance a secret until season three’s release, it’s very possible that they’ll do the same in this future couple’s case.

Eloise Bridgerton and Sir Philip Crane
Technically, we’ve already met Eloise’s future husband, Sir Philip Crane: He was first introduced at the end of Bridgerton’s first season, after Marina, a distant cousin of the Featheringtons, learns that Sir Philip’s brother, George, was killed while away at war. Though Marina, who is pregnant with George’s child, first sets her sights on Colin Bridgerton as she considers her options, she soon gets another offer from Sir Philip, who ultimately marries her out of honor and love for his deceased sibling. Marina goes on to give birth to twins, Amanda and Oliver, and Sir Philip claims them as his own; we meet the little ones in season two, when Colin goes to pay respects to Marina, who he still harbors feelings for (at the time).
So how does Sir Philip, a quiet botanist who is married to Marina, go on to wed Eloise, the second oldest Bridgerton daughter who is as opinionated as she is headstrong? And will we see the two connect in Bridgerton season three, part two? In the books, Marina passes away well before the couple begins their romance through the mail; the show will likely employ this model if they choose to pair up these two as planned.

Though this seems like the love story we’re least likely to see in the episodes debuting on June 13, the series does seem to be priming Eloise, who was previous marriage-averse, for a relationship. During the second season, she shared a secret romance with Theo Sharpe (another show invention), who worked at the printing press Lady Whistledown (a.k.a., Penelope!) used to publish her gossip pamphlets—and now, in season three, she’s back on the marriage circuit and singing a different tune about these unions altogether. Though the relationship we really hope to see Eloise foster and repair is the one she has with Penelope, her former best friend, it’s still possible that we’ll hear news of Marina’s tragic passing—or even watch Eloise receive a letter from her future spouse, marking the beginning of their story.