Book fans, though, might be skeptical. Each of the eight Bridgerton books follow one of the eight Bridgerton siblings, with the first, The Duke and I, focusing on eldest daughter Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and her romance with Simon, Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). How will the show be different? “Bridgerton is a show inspired by eight really delicious romance novels, and that is something we were excited to lean into,” creator and executive producer Chris Van Dusen said in a press Q&A. “Our show is sexy and fun, and the experience of watching the series is similar to the experience of reading a romance novel, and that’s intentional, and because it’s Shondaland, you’re going to get so much more than that.” The show is true to the spirit of the novels, but it expands the world and changes it a bit for television. “You can come to this series having never read a single Bridgerton book or never having even heard of the Bridgerton novels and you will be fully immersed in the world, or you could come to this having read every last one of those books a million times, have dog-eared pages and be obsessed and still find new things to see,” Rhimes said in the Q&A.
Do Simon and Daphne end up together in the Bridgerton books?
Yes, although there are some small differences. While their reunion in the show shares the same spirit as the book, the circumstances are quite different: The book involves Daphne falling off a horse rather than dancing in the rain.
Are some characters Black in the Bridgerton books?
Not specifically. The first difference you’ll notice between the show and the books is that the Shondaland production imagines an inclusive, alternative universe in which Black people hold the same social standing as whites. But instead of being “race blind,” the show acknowledges their skin tone, particularly in a conversation between Simon and the venerable Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh). (Another difference: In the show, Lady Danbury took care of Simon as a child, as opposed to “Nurse Hopkins” in the book.) In the novel, Simon famously has ice blue eyes—but not here. He’s just one of the many Black and Asian characters who inhabit this world. “Bridgerton is not a colorblind world. That would imply race isn’t considered,” Van Dusen says. “I am proud and happy that we found a way to explore those kinds of stories and characters. It’s a very modern-feeling period.”
Does the real-life Queen appears in the books?
No. The idea to include Black characters came from the theory among historians that England’s real-life Queen Charlotte had African ancestry. So, the series team decided to make her a major part of the show—even though she doesn’t appear at all in the book. “What if Queen Charlotte was recognized as being of mixed-race in 1813?” Van Dusen says he wondered when developing the show. “What if this Queen of England used her power to elevate other people of color in that society?” Book author Julia Quinn told Parade.com exclusively this is the change she is most excited for in the show. “I especially adore the addition of Queen Charlotte as a character,” Quinn told us. “Golda Rosheuvel’s portrayal is delicious, and I have a feeling I’m not going to be able to stop myself from dropping into a curtsy next time I see her.”
Does Daphne make her society debut in the book?
No. The introduction of Queen Charlotte in the show gives a reason to have a huge debut for Daphne into society in the show’s opening episode. Receiving the Queen’s favor, as well as gossip columnist Lady Whistledown’s, marks her as the diamond of the season—at least at first. But in the books, this is her second season, and she hasn’t made such a splash. She even describes her first mention in Lady Whistedown’s paper as “anticlimactic.”
Does the show have new characters and storylines?
Yes. In addition to Queen Charlotte, the series team decided to broaden the Bridgerton siblings, whereas the first book focuses almost solely on Daphne. But instead of borrowing storylines directly from the Bridgerton sequels (although there are some nuggets included), the show gives the Bridgerton siblings new, rich backstories separate from their later novels. So, we get the details on older brother Anthony’s relationship with his opera singer mistress, Siena; second son Benedict joining an artist’s salon; and third son Colin’s hasty engagement with Marina, who’s already pregnant with someone else’s baby. We also see more of secondary book series characters such as the neighboring Featheringtons and mean-girl Cressida Cowper. Plus, there are more new characters, including Simon’s boxer friend Will and the enterprising modiste Genevieve Delacroix. And perhaps most importantly, in the show, Daphne comes close to marrying an actual prince! Simon had to have a little competition, after all. But, none of these storylines appear in the books.
Is Marina Thompson in the books?
Easter egg alert! Fans might initially be confused by the show’s Marina (Ruby Barker), because a seemingly unrelated character with the same name appears in the prologue to book five, To Sir Phillip With Love. That book character, the first wife of Sir Phillip Crane, seems to have no connection with the Marina of the Netflix series—until Sir Phillip himself makes a late appearance in the show! So it seems clear the two Marinas are one and the same. One difference? In the book, she’s a Bridgerton cousin; in the show, a relative of the Featheringtons.
Is Anthony such a jerk in the book?
No. In the book, older brother and male head of the family Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) is much more relaxed about who Daphne should marry—he actually allows her to make her own decisions, including turning down four marriage proposals from unsuitable suitors already. One of those is the loathsome Nigel Berbrooke (Jamie Beamish), who Anthony agrees Daphne should not marry as he is totally ridiculous—unlike in the show, in which Anthony arranges their engagement and positively insists Daphne marry him. In the book, Anthony also doesn’t drive away suitors who Daphne might actually like, as he does in the show. Rather, she can’t seem to attract worthy men who see her as more than a friend. Anthony’s interference in her love life in the television series, though, lends a bit more gravity to her precarious situation as an unmarried woman.
Is Nigel Berbrooke as predatory in the book?
Not really. In the show, Daphne’s attempts to get out of her engagement with Berbrooke drive much of the first couple of episodes. Anthony only calls it off after finding out he assaulted Daphne and she punched him in defense. Then the nasty Berbrooke tries to blackmail the family to make her go through with it—and she would have if it weren’t for Daphne’s mother, who concocts a plan to reveal a secret Berbrooke is hiding and force him out of town. None of this happens in the book. Daphne punching Berbrooke serves as a “meet cute” for her and Simon (in the show they’ve already met), but we don’t see Nigel much after that.
Does Simon suddenly break off his and Daphne’s ruse in the book?
No. In both the show and the book, Simon and Daphne make a pact to pretend to court, so that Simon can get other women and their meddling mothers off his back and Daphne can appear more desirable. In the book, Simon gradually backs off in order to let Daphne have some room to see other suitors, which makes her miss him a little. In the series, though, there’s a huge moment where he declares they won’t see each other anymore, and then he plans to leave the country. (Interestingly, he does this soon after he suggests masturbation to her, which also doesn’t happen in the book.) The breakup of their fake romance does add more drama, and sets up their fateful, illicit kiss in the garden. After that kiss in both the book and the show, Daphne will be ruined unless Simon marries her—which he does, despite revealing to her that he will never have children.
Does that controversial scene play out the same in the book?
Not exactly. In both the book and the series, Daphne learns it’s not that Simon can’t have children, but that he doesn’t want to, in order to end the family line to spite his cruel, now-deceased father. Not knowing at first exactly how babies are made, she doesn’t understand that Simon withdraws after sex in order to prevent conception. In the book, when she figures it out, she’s super mad; they have a blowout fight and he gets drunk. After he returns, he’s mostly unconscious, and she takes advantage by having sex with him, pinning herself on top of him to make it impossible for him to pull out. The show tempers this a little by having him be sober and the sex initially consensual, although she still doesn’t allow him to pull out when he wants to. This precedes their blowout fight.
Do Simon and Daphne actually separate in the book?
Yes. In the show, the quarreling couple return to London together from their country estate in order to attend to the scandal with Daphne’s brother Colin and Marina. But in the book, Simon actually leaves their estate on “business” and Daphne returns to London alone (there is no scandal because Marina is not part of the novel). Rather unusually in the romance genre, both on the page and on screen, Simon and Daphne’s happily ever after doesn’t begin as soon as they take their wedding vows—but the television version allows us to see more of their interaction during their marital troubles. They even talk frankly about living separately in the future, which they don’t in the book. In the show, we also get to see how marriage affords Daphne and other married women liberties to drink, smoke, gamble and enjoy themselves in their husbands’ absence, as seen in a girls-only gathering thrown by Lady Danbury that doesn’t happen in the novel.
Is Lady Whistledown the same person in the Bridgerton books?
We won’t spoil the revelation of who she is here—you’ll find out her identity in the last moments of the last episode—but rest assured she is the very same person in the television series as in the books. In the novels, though, we have to wait longer until discovering who she is, as she’s not revealed to readers until book four, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. Can’t wait for more royals? Prep for The Crown Season 5!
