Skip to main content

Penelope Featherington steps into the spotlight for Bridgerton Season 3. The new season focuses on her love story with Colin Bridgerton, but Penelope’s work as Lady Whistledown is also an important part of her life. The new season follows Julia Quinn’s novel Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. In the book, someone else takes credit for Lady Whistledown’s work.

[Warning: This article contains spoilers from Julia Quinn’s Romancing Mr. Bridgerton.]

Prior to Bridgerton Season, Cressida and Colin dance at a ball. Cressida wears a floral gown and ruby necklace.
Jessica Madsen as Cressida Cowper and Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton | Liam Daniel/Netflix

Cressida Cowper antagonizes the Bridgerton and Featherington families

Throughout Bridgerton, Cressida Cowper antagonizes the Bridgerton and Featherington families. She spots Daphne in the garden with the Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset, and uses her knowledge to blackmail Daphne. Cressida hopes that Daphne will marry the Duke so that Prince Friedrich will be available.

In Bridgerton Season 2, Cressida continues her nastiness. She pokes fun at Penelope Featherington, but Eloise comes to her defense. Jack Featherington also courts Cressida in season 2, but their flirtation is put to an end when Lady Featherington concocts a plot to pair him with Prudence. If Bridgerton Season 3 follows the books, Cressida’s role in the series is far from over.

There might be a fake Lady Whistledown reveal in ‘Bridgerton’ Season 3

Penelope Featherington steps into the spotlight in Bridgerton Season 3. The new season focuses on Penelope’s love story with Colin Bridgerton. However, there’s more to Penelope than a love story. The youngest Featherington daughter also has a double life as Lady Whistledown.

Eloise is determined to discover Lady Whistledown’s identity throughout the first season of Bridgerton. She becomes convinced that Madam Delacroix is the culprit but finally realizes that this can’t be true. In season 2, Eloise learns the truth.

Related

‘Bridgerton’ Season 3: 5 Characters We Don’t Expect to Return

Madam Delacroix isn’t the only Lady Whistledown red herring. In Julia Quinn’s Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, Lady Whistledown appears to announce her retirement in the papers. After this, Cressida Cowper (who is now married and going under the surname Twombley) announces at a ball that she is Lady Whistledown.

Of course, not everyone in the ton, including Colin Bridgerton, believes Cressida. In the book, Colin is actually convinced that Eloise is Lady Whistledown. He is the first person to discover the truth — that Penelope is the infamous writer.

Lady Whistledown is unmasked in ‘Romancing Mr. Bridgerton’

Bridgerton fans don’t have to have read the book to know that Penelope and Colin will end up together in season 3. After their marriage, Cressida reveals that she has uncovered Lady Whistledown’s identity. She then tries to use this information to blackmail Penelope.

However, Colin turns the tables and suggests to Penelope that they beat Cressida to the punch. With his wife’s permission, Colin announces Lady Whistledown’s identity.

In the first two seasons of Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte searches for the real Lady Whistledown to no avail. The series may go in a different direction and decide not to reveal the writer’s identity to the entire ton so early, but fans will have to wait and see.

All episodes of Bridgerton are currently streaming on Netflix.

Best in Entertainment