‘Bridgerton’: Who Is Francesca Bridgerton? Explained

Bridgerton fans are keenly awaiting season 3’s May release, as viewers are set to be transported back to Regency-era London.

While season 3 will focus on one of the series’ pivotal characters, Penelope Featherington, viewers (and book readers) are also looking ahead, wondering who will take the spotlight next. One of the popular characters on the show is Francesca Bridgerton, the third daughter in the family and sixth child overall. Francesca is introduced in the show on the day of Daphne Bridgerton’s (later Basset) societal debut, where she, along with other family members, witness the latter being presented to the queen.

However, her presence in the first season is short-lived, as it is soon known that she left London to practice pianoforte with their aunt Winnie. She returns towards the end, flexing her skills on the instrument as Colin Bridgerton sings, and a dance ensues.

Inarguably the most reserved of the Bridgerton siblings, Francesca is known for her sharp wit and wily sense of humor. As opposed to season 1, she gets more airtime in season 2, where she plays the piano on Eloise’s debut, to which the elder Bridgerton daughter practices dancing with Gregory Bridgerton. Before that, she is seen fanning Eloise as she prepares for her introduction to the queen.

Francesca also shows her compassionate side and presence of mind when she instructs her mother and siblings not to say anything when Eloise comes out after getting ready for the presentation. Later in the season, when Daphne brings her and Simon’s son Augie for the annual pall-mall game, Francesca, along with Violet and Hyacinth, are overjoyed to see the child, with Eloise the only disinterested one.

Francesca Bridgerton was first seen in the episode “Diamond of the First Water,” and her last appearance (as of now) was in “A Bee in Your Bonnet.” She is portrayed by Ruby Stokes in seasons 1 and 2, with the child version played by Olivia Suggett. In season 3, Hannah Dodd will play Francesca Bridgerton.

Francesca’s romance is the subject of the sixth book in the Julia Quinn book series the Netflix series is based on, and with one sibling’s story per season, she may not get her time until season 6—although Penelope’s story (and Colin’s) was moved up from book 4 to season 3. So, it remains to be seen if the remaining Bridgerton siblings will get their turns int he order of the books. Still, as her story draws closer, we may continue to see more of her.

Bridgerton season 3 is set to release on Netflix in two parts of four episodes each, with part 1 coming out on May 16 and part 2 on June 13.

(featured image: Shondaland)