Netflix’s latest sensation, Bridgerton, has taken over the viewers' minds and hearts. The connection between Simon and Daphne is undeniable, and hopes for a second season are high. But Bridgerton is much more than a love story between two people who started as friends. It’s a story of treachery, secrecy, and the history of established families taking care of each other.
The Bridgertons, Featheringtons, and Hastings had as many low points as they did high. The lies that were told and the secrets that were kept were done so for the sake of the family. And yet, some family decisions that were made didn’t always pan out. In fact, some were quite questionable.
The Duke's Father Shouldn't Have Ever Had Children
It was devastating to learn about Simon’s past. Not only did his mother die during childbirth, but his father disowned him for having a speech impediment. He was raised by the housekeepers before being tracked down by Lady Danbury. His father wanted Simon dead and was embarrassed that the heir to the Hastings fortune was an “idiot.”
With the help of Lady Danbury, Simon overcame his stammer and became an upstanding man in society. Sadly, the pain inflicted by his father was enough to scar Simon for life.
Lady Featherington Shunned Marina
Lady Featherington allowed Marina Thompson into their home because she was a distant cousin of her husband’s, but when she found out the real reason why Marina was there, things changed. Lady Featherington was always jealous of Marina because she was more beautiful and sought after than her daughters.
By the time she found out that Marina was with child, her disdain for her had grown. She kept Marina locked away in her bedroom when they found out she was pregnant out of wedlock and wouldn't allow anyone to see her.
Lady Featherington Falsified A Letter
In Lady Featherington’s mind, everything she did was for the benefit of her family. When she found out that Marina was pregnant with a soldier’s baby, she thought it would be best if Marina moved on for the sake of having a better future. With a lover at war, the odds of him coming back to her weren’t good, but that was for Marina to decide on her own.
After some time, she would have realized that he wasn’t coming back and that she has no choice but to marry. Instead, Lady Featherington took things into her own hands and falsified a letter from her baby’s father. Marina believed the letter to be true until Penelope discovered the truth. Finding out that her one true love didn’t say the nasty things Lady Featherington wrote was an emotional moment.
Lord Featherington Gambled His Family's Life Away
With three daughters, Lady Featherington could barely sleep at night knowing that her daughters had no suitors. It was even harder seeing Lady Thompson have more suitors than her daughters.
One night, Lady Featherington became suspicious of her husband and their lifestyle and went through his things. It was then that she learned the hard truth: they were broke. Her husband had a serious gambling problem and had gambled away their family’s fortune and their daughters' dowries. He compromised his family for his addiction to gambling.
Violet Bridgerton Skipped The Birds & The Bees
Daphne didn’t have the slightest idea of what intimacy was before she met the Duke. After a deep conversation with Simon on the promenade, Daphne found out that there were more ways to love than just through friendship.
When the two got married, Violet sat down with her daughter to let her know that adult acts would occur between her and the Duke. Daphne, however, had no idea what her mother was talking about but was too uncomfortable to ask questions. After a few weeks of marriage, Daphne was upset with her mother for not preparing her more; for not educating her.
Entertaining Lord Berbrooke
With Daphne's father gone, Anthony was the man of the household and was in charge of finding his sister a husband. The first man to approach a proposal was Lord Berbrooke. The only problem is that Lord Berbrooke was far older than Daphne and she had no feelings for him. She was disgusted by him.
Anthony, however, thought Berbrooke was perfect for Daphne, because he was an older gentleman with a clean background. And sadly, Violet Bridgerton had no say in the matter. She wanted her daughter to be with someone she loved but she also wanted her taken care of. The women in the family were lucky enough to scare Lord Berbrooke out of town, but Violet could have nipped this pairing in the bud before it even happened.
Lord Berbrooke Abandoned His Child & Lover
In order to get her daughter out of a dreadful union, Violet Bridgerton and her ladies did some digging to find out more about Lord Berbrooke’s past. And as it turns out, he had some serious skeletons in his closet.
He got one of his maid’s pregnant and abandoned her and their love child. To make things worse, he wasn’t helping his child or mistress at all financially. He tried to keep this knowledge a secret, but it didn't work. The scandal ran Lord Berbrooke out of London (and hopefully into the arms of the family he created).
Marrying Marina Off To Older Men
To be fair to the Featheringtons, they tried everything they could to marry off Marina so that she was safe and cared for. However, they went about it in an awful way.
Lady Featherington attempted to marry Marina off to older men; men Marina was not attracted to and wanted nothing to do with. But the Featheringtons didn’t care. They wanted Marina out of their hair and to be with a man who wouldn’t care about her “condition.” Luckily for Marina, the older gentlemen chose other women, but it was a terrifying glimpse at her possible future at the hands of her aunt and uncle.