Dearest gentle reader; it won’t be wrong to claim that the best romances stem out of a great friendship. A wise lover boy once said, “Pyaar dosti hai. [Love is friendship.],” and taking this to heart is Bridgerton Season 3. The ultimate ‘guilty pleasure’ Netflix series is back and turns its focus on Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington’s (Nicola Coughlan) friends-turned-lovers romance.
Does Colin Bridgerton confess his love to Penelope Featherington at the end of Bridgerton Season 3?
The first four episodes of Bridgerton Season 3 dropped on Netflix on May 16, with the final four episodes coming out on June 13. The fourth episode begins with Lord Debling (Sam Phillips) courting Penelope, much to her mother Portia Featherington’s (Polly Walker) delight. While the pair bond over their intellectual interests, Penelope’s heart still aches for Colin.
On the other hand, Colin steadily begins to realise that his care for Penelope runs deeper than mere friendship, since he doesn’t find the desired pleasure in other women. Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) is aware of her son’s affection for Penelope and plays cupid for Colin, prodding him to man up and confess his true feelings to his ladylove before it's too late.
At a ball, Debling plans to propose to Penelope. However, raining on his parade is Colin, who tries to convince Penelope to not marry Debling. An irate Penelope lashes out at Colin, while Debling witnesses their fierce encounter. It dawns on Debling that Penelope and Colin’s relationship is much more than just a friendship, and he decides not to propose.
Penelope, now humiliated, gets into an argument with her mother, before hastily leaving the ball. A determined Colin runs after Penelope and enters her carriage. The young Bridgerton goes down on one knee and finally confesses his undying affection and desire for Penelope. Penelope is initially shocked over Colin’s confession, but ultimately confesses that she wants to be more than just friends.
This marks the transition from friendzone to ‘Polin’ supremacy. Things get steamy between Penelope and Colin inside the carriage — while a scintillating string cover of Pitbull's Give Me Everything ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer sets the tone as a sexy background score — before they reach the Bridgerton mansion. Colin swiftly proposes to Penelope: “For God’s sake, Penelope Featherington. Are you going to marry me or not?” The episode ends on a cliffhanger with Penelope’s shocked yet elated expression, strikingly similar to Bridgerton viewers who binge-watched the four episodes in one night.
Does Francesca decide who she wants to marry in Bridgerton Season 3?
Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) finally chooses a sparkling “Diamond” in the musically gifted Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd). This is thanks to Francesca’s prowess while playing the piano, Lady Danbury’s (Adjoa Andoh) intrusion and Lady Whistledown praising the monarch. While the Queen selects Lord Samdani (David Mumeni) as Francesca’s potential suitor, an “introvert” meet-cute with John Stirling aka Earl of Kilmartin (Victor Alli) makes things more complicated.
Francesca finds herself gravitating towards John, with whom she shares a comfortable silence, as opposed to Lord Samdani. After an awkward encounter, Sterling presents a musical gift to Francesca that warms her heart. All the while, Violet is confused about who Francesca really wants to marry.
Elsewhere, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) gets into a risqué affair with Lady Arnold (Hannah New), who is recently widowed. Violet, too, finds a potential love interest in Lady Danbury’s brother Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), much to Danbury’s chagrin.
Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2: Does Colin Bridgerton find out who Lady Whistledown is?
In Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1, Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) is still the only one who knows that Penelope is, in fact, Lady Whistledown. Owing to this knowledge, Eloise and Penelope’s friendship remains fractured. Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2 will likely delve around unmasking Lady Whistledown.
With Penelope now set to marry Colin, Eloise threatens her ex-best friend to reveal her scandalous secret to her brother. Colin, having been a victim of Lady Whistledown, harbours extreme dislike for the gossipmonger wordsmith. Hence, the clock is ticking for Penelope in the final four episodes, as she's tasked with making the most difficult decision of her life.