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There’s a new man in Charlotte Heywood’s life. PBS has revealed a trio of first-look photos for Sanditon Season 3 and they hint at new romantic complications for Charlotte and her friend Georgiana Lambe. 

Has Charlotte found new love with Ralph Starling? 

After enduring massive heartbreak at the end of Sanditon’s first season, Charlotte (Rose Williams) spent much of season 2 getting over the loss of her beloved Sidney (Theo James). But as the season drew to a close, she seemed poised to embark on a new romance with the reclusive Alexander Colbourne (Ben Lloyd-Hughes). However, at the last moment, Colbourne broke things off with Charlotte. She left Sanditon and returned home. In the episode’s final moments, we learned that she’d become engaged to Ralph Starling (Cai Brigden), a local farmer. 

In the finale, Charlotte looked less than thrilled about her upcoming marriage. But a season 3 photo PBS shared on Twitter on Nov. 2, she seems to have a warmer attitude toward Ralph. The image shows the two on a beach, and she’s looking into his eyes with a slight smile on her face. Is it possible that after her disappointment with Colbourne, Charlotte has opened her heart to another man?

Who is the new man with Georgiana? 

Charlotte might be planning to marry Ralph, but Colbourne isn’t totally out of the picture. Another photo shows the widowed dad of two looking broodingly at something – or someone. Despite the way he and Charlotte ended things in the season 2 finale, we don’t think he’s going to let Charlotte go that easily.

The first-look photos also give a look at Georgiana (Crystal Clarke). She’s wearing a green dress and walking into a room on the arm of Lord Montrose (Edward Davis).  Montrose is a new character. Could he be a new potential love interest for Georgiana, who nearly ended up eloping with the fortune-hunting artist Charles Lockhart (Alexander Vlahos)?

Charlotte Spencer won’t return as Esther in ‘Sanditon’ Season 3

Augusta and Colbourne walking into a ballroom in 'Sanditon' Season 3
‘Sanditon’ Season 3 | PBS via YouTube
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While Williams, Clarke, and Lloyd-Hughes will be back for Sanditon Season 3, one familiar face won’t be returning. Charlotte Spencer, who played Esther Babington in seasons 1 and 2, won’t appear in season 3. 

In season 1, Esther found love with Lord Babington (Mark Stanley). In season 2, she returned to her aunt’s home after experiencing a miscarriage. She struggled to come to terms with her inability to conceive. But by the end of the season, she’d adopted Clara (Lily Sacofsky) and her brother Edward’s (Jack Fox) illegitimate child. According to showrunner Justin Young, that development brought her storyline to a natural conclusion.

“I think Esther, where we leave her at the end of season 2, I think she’s got everything she’s ever wanted,” he told Decider. “She’s happy, married, and now she has a child that she adores so I think that’s the end of Esther’s story as far as I’m concerned.”

In addition to Spencer, Tom Weston-Jones, who joined the cast as Colonel Lennox in season 2, won’t appear in season 3. 

Sanditon Season 3 will air on PBS in 2023. 

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