We love a good sappy romance, and let’s face it Bridgerton does romance like no one else these days. We live vicariously through the characters as the show plays out some of our deepest desires. One such desire is to hear our partners say exactly what the men of Bridgerton say to their women.
It’s a given that we will hear more than one confession of love throughout a season of Bridgerton. These confessions go somewhat viral, ending up on Instagram reels and TikToks across the globe as people go gaga for them. In season one it was Simon’s, “I could not stop thinking of you. From the mornings you ease to the evenings you quiet to the dreams you inhabit, my thoughts of you never end. I am yours Daphne, I have always been yours.” This was then followed by the “I burn for you” moment that drove everyone wild and even ended up making its way onto SNL.
In season two we had the sexually charged confrontation between Kate Sharma and Anthony Bridgerton. The latter was unable to contain his emotions, especially when Kate stated she was leaving for India, responding, “And it is not far enough! Do you think there is a corner of this earth that you could travel to far away enough to free me from this torment?” This was soon followed by the next viral line for the Bridgerton series, “You are the bane of my existence [dramatic pause] and the object of all my desires.” It helps that this was all said by Jonathan Bailey in a breathy, sensual whisper.
Colin’s time to shine
In season three, it was Colin’s turn. At the end of part one fans were left a little worried that this season’s romantic moment would come down to, “For god’s sake Penelope Featherington. Are you going to marry me, or not?” Yeah, not quite the heart wringer we are used to. But hey, we were only halfway through. There was still time to salvage it. Part two had a lot more moments between the couple, from their first time together on the chaise lounge to the mirror scene. But the speech that landed the hardest for me was Colin’s right at the end during the Dankworth-Finch Ball.
After Penelope has revealed her true identity as Lady Whistledown, stood in front of the entire ton, and declared herself, Colin approaches his wife. He states he was wrong to have tried to separate Penelope from Lady Whistldown, praises her skills as a writer, and goes on to say:
I think in truth, I have been envious of you, of your success, of your bravery. And now I simply cannot believe that a woman with such bravery loves me. How lucky I am to stand by your side and soak up even a little bit of your light. If my only purpose in life is to love a woman as great as you, then I will be a very fulfilled man indeed.
No, I’m not crying, you are.
Why is this so important?
For starters, Colin is apologizing and taking accountability for his negative emotions and how he let them get the better of him. We love a man who can reflect, apologize, and work to be better. Secondly, there are many women out there pushing forward in a world still not fully designed to empower us. It is tough, it can be exhausting, and it can often go unrecognized. To have our partner say this to us, to acknowledge our work and effort, our skill and talent, to be proud to be with us, well, that means everything.
Lust and desire are all well and good—and a big chunk of why we watch Bridgerton—but this, this is far more important. To have a partner who can celebrate your successes, who can see you shine and affirm their admiration for you, this is more important in the long run of a relationship. Colin here is proving himself a worthy partner of Penelope, not because he matches her in skill, but because he finally respects and values what she has to offer.
We still want the uncontrollable lust too, please.
