Bridgerton follows the romantic exploits of the eight Bridgerton children as they come of age, yet the second oldest Bridgerton son, Benedict (Luke Thompson), has yet to get his happy ending, leaving viewers curious about whom he ultimately ends up with.
Season 1 of the Regency era drama saw the oldest daughter, Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), find love with Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page), while season 2 followed the oldest son Anthony’s (Jonathan Bailey) romance with Kate (Simone Ashley). Based on the book order, Benedict was next in line to find his marriage partner. However, season 3 skipped over his story, choosing to jump ahead to Colin’s (Luke Newton) and Penelope’s (Nicola Coughlan) love story instead. It’s expected that Benedict’s story will be covered in a future season, as the show has already been renewed for season 4.
The series choices mean that Benedict is a bit of an enigma and hasn’t had as much screen time as the older Bridgerton siblings tend to get. Bridgerton explains his lack of a love story by revealing that he shares his sister Eloise’s (Claudia Jessie) dismissive attitude toward social norms. Instead of pursuing love, he began pursuing a career in art and enjoyed dalliances with multiple women, including Genevieve (Kathryn Drysdale), Tessa (Emily Barber), and Tilley Arnold (Hannah New). Fortunately, viewers may not have to wait for future seasons to find out who he ends up with, as the books may hold the answer.
Who does Benedict Bridgerton marry in the books?
Benedict’s story is covered in Julia Quinn’s book An Offer From A Gentleman and is heavily inspired by the folk tale Cinderella. Viewers may be surprised to learn that he does not end up with any of the women he has romanced in the show. In fact, his future wife hasn’t even been introduced in the series yet. An Offer From A Gentleman reveals he ultimately marries Sophie Beckett.
Sophie was the illegitimate child of the Earl of Penwood and the maid he had an affair with. Her father did not know of her existence until her mother died shortly after her birth, and the child was left at his doorstep. He decided to take her in but tried to hide her real identity. Soon, he married Araminta Gunningworth and became a stepfather to her two daughters, Posy and Rosamund. Unfortunately, Araminta and her daughters treated Sophie terribly and forced her to become their servant after her father died.
One day, Sophie manages to sneak away to a masquerade ball hosted by the Bridgerton family. While there, she meets and dances with Benedict. He is instantly smitten by her, but she runs away before he can learn her identity. As a result, he spends months searching for her until he finally finds her. It isn’t long before he asks her to marry him. The pair end up happily married and have four children together.
When will Bridgerton tell Benedict’s story?
Although Bridgerton season 4 is officially happening, the showrunners are not yet revealing which sibling the show will focus on. Benedict is the most likely choice, but given that the timeline has already been shaken up once, it’s possible the show could skip to Eloise or even Francesca (Hannah Dodd) next. However, viewers did catch one potential hint at Benedict’s upcoming story.
It was recently revealed that Lady Cowper’s (Joanna Bobin) first name is Araminta, hinting that she could be Sophie’s stepmother. So far, the show has introduced Cowper’s daughter, Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), who appears to be her only child. Given that Cressida is an ill-mannered bully, it’s possible she’s a hybrid of Rosamund and Posy from the books and that Sophie is sequestered away somewhere in the Cowper’s home, waiting to make her debut. Fans are still holding on to hope that Sophie may be introduced before the end of season 3.
However, there have also been questions about whether the series will adapt Benedict’s story at all or create a new one for him. Of all the Bridgerton siblings, Benedict is arguably the one who underwent the most extensive changes from the book to the show. He tends to be arrogant, manipulative, and ill-mannered in the books. In the show, though, he is a kind-hearted and free-spirited artist who instantly wins viewers over. Additionally, the show has hinted that he may be bisexual or gay, with some viewers hoping it meant his story would change to include a queer romance. Given that the show has repeatedly paired him with women, though, it seems likelier his story will eventually be told as it is in the books.
Ultimately, the Bridgerton books tell us that Benedict ends up marrying Sophie, but it’s uncertain when or even if the show will choose to adapt his story.
Published: May 30, 2024 03:37 pm