Netflix's Bridgerton is built around one central mystery: who is Lady Whistledown? Throughout the series, the audience is invited to follow Eloise Bridgerton as she seeks clues to the scandal-sharing socialite's true identity, and by season one's end, the shock is revealed. But the answer of who Whistledown is extends beyond just the revelation of Penelope Featherington: it's a loaded sting in the season's tail that poses even more questions.
Bridgerton's genius was in presenting something nostalgic and classic, but with a modern spin. The Shondaland-made, Regency-era-set romance mixed in elements of gentle farce, outright comedy, drama, and swoon-inducing Jane Austen magic and captured its audience's attentions to the extent that it's now one of Netflix's most watched original series ever. The Whistledown mystery was at the heart of the story, but it, crucially, was only part of the narrative tapestry as the relationships between characters was the true star of the show. Yes, there were some outdated tropes and an opportunity to be a little more challenging, but the likes of Bridgerton, Downton Abbey and The Crown are successful precisely because they adhere to genre.
That said, Whistledown's identity was still the narrative blue chip, and though the revelation was a last minute addition, it was still a huge moment. It will shape the future, with Bridgerton season 2 very much an inevitability and reframes much of what the audience came to know about the figure behind the papers. But who is Lady Whistledown as an individual, as a construct and as a story pillar and what does she mean for Netflix show going forward?
Who Is Lady Whistledown
At the very end of the first episode of Bridgerton season one, of course, Whistledown's secret is finally revealed, with Eloise unwittingly discovering that her prime suspect, Madame Delacroix, had an alibi, disproving the intrepid Bridgerton's theory. The real society paper author was, in fact, Penelope Featherington, the "black sheep" of the Featherington family, who was, in fact, the most in tune with the fashions of society despite sitting on its edge. There's no hint in the show of how Pen initially finances the free release of the first papers, she will have amassed considerable wealth from the subsequent charged releases, ensuring her own financial independence in defiance of the age. That is clearly part of why she hides her identity, not to mention the access anonymity gives her and the likely repercussions to her and her family if all was revealed.
Penelope, fundamentally, is driven by how respectable society treats her, but not enough to burn what are oppressive systems down. She still seems to idolise order and proper behavior, targeting those who step out of her moral parameters. Pen aches to be the thing Whistledown most cherishes: the perfect debutante, but she doesn't fit the model, so she seeks to ensure the integrity of that model is upheld, somewhat counterproductively. Could she find her true love in the future? Would that end her time as Whistledown? The rest of Bridgerton will no doubt reveal all.
The True Story Of Lady Whistledown
It may sound like s strange revelation, but there is a real world equivalence of Lady Whistledown from a very similar time period. While most newspapers of the Regency Era were dedicated to politics, crime, fashion and royalty, there was a satirical paper put out called Female Tatler, by anonymous writer "Mrs. Crackenthorpe," which was, uncharacteristically aimed at women and which strayed into gossip. Other publications would focus on scandals as a means to whip up interest, but Crackenthorpe - whose official billing was "a Lady who knows every thing" according to 'The History and Authorship of Mrs. Crackenthorpe's "Female Tatler"'
by Paul Bunyan Anderson. He referred to her as omniscient and confirmed that her revelations caused outrage by the families in question, though her true identity was never revealed.
What Lady Whistledown's Importance Really Means
Whistledown is the center of the ton's operating systems - of morality, governance, fashion - precisely because they're broken. All of the pomp and circumstance of the Regency Era setting is about adhering to expectations and making sure that all appearances are proper. Whistledown targets those who aren't immaculate in aesthetic or integrity, but the reality of the ton is that everyone has secrets; some good, some bad. Those seeking free expression - of identity, gender, sexuality or artistry - are effectively driven behind closed doors by the same attempt to bring justice to those who dishonor women, their family or their duty (like Lord Featherington). And it's all because the residents of the ton are terrified of the revelation of their own truths: they read the society papers expecting themselves to appear and hoping they don't.
This partly makes Whistledown the villain of the piece, because Bridgerton's aspirations are progressive. Whistledown has created a matriarchal power system, but is upholding patriarchal standards through it and as Penelope bemoans her own liminal status on the edge of society, she's also reinforcing them. She could open the ton to progressive "sub-culture" behavior, like allowing Sir Henry Granville's community to exist without persecution, but there's very much the sense that his homosexuality would be punished through revelation in her papers. She may present herself as a paragon of virtue, but she is not as honorable as she appears.
What Is The Future For Lady Whistledown?
For now, Penelope's secret is safe, thanks to the actions of Eloise. Only a small number of people know the truth - presumably her she uses different coach drivers each time, but the printer must be aware at the very least - and Whistledown as yet has no reason to stop her papers circulating. Now that Colin Bridgerton has set off to travel the world, Penelope's true desire is out of the picture and she can arguably focus more on policing the ton's morals. With all hints pointing towards Anthony being the main character in season 2 of Bridgerton and his "rake" reputation so far fairly well protected, it may well be that he becomes her prime target. After all, contrasting the Incomparable with her rake brother who has historically mired himself in controversy - particularly when he has expressed his desire to find a wife - would provide bountiful narrative drama. And of course, Whistledown will have to do so as Eloise continues to investigate, possibly out of her own obsessive intrigue rather than a desire to expose. Plus, Queen Charlotte is unlikely to have turned off her own desire to reveal Whistledown's identity after the slight against her in season one, so it's all poised for further drama in the ton.