bridgerton penelope lady whistledown
Each "Bridgerton" Sibling Has Their Own Love Story, Bridgerton's Biggest Differences From the Books, What the Bee In the Bridgerton Finale Means, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Though she plays a pivotal role in “Bridgerton,” it’s not until the final moments of the Season 1 finale that viewers find out the identity of Lady Whistledown — but boy, is it worth the wait. This came as a huge shock for a few reasons: One, she’s so young to be putting together such an ornate operation. Aside from its take on London's high society during Regency, it also drew justified comparisons to Gossip Girl due to its own mysterious gossip writer in Lady Whistledown. Because Bridgerton's Lady Whistledown is none other than... Penelope Featherington. "For me, it felt like it was time," Bridgerton creator Chris Van Dusen explained in an interview with Decider. Netflix's Bridgerton speeds up this timeline by revealing Penelope Featherington — played by Derry Girls' Nicola Coughlan — as Lady Whistledown during the events of The Duke and I. So, if you're not looking for a spoiler, do not continue this article. If you really think about it, though, Penelope being Lady Whistledown actually makes sense: She had access to every high-society function as a Featherington, where she was able to expertly blend into the background and fly under the radar to overhear some of the town's best gossip. As a Bridgerton fan, you're either here because you made it to the end of season 1's finale "After the Rain" and have major questions, or you're a little impatient and need to know the show's biggest secret—aka the identity of Lady Whistledown—ASAP. "It felt right for the season to end where we end," showrunner Chris Van Dusen tells OprahMag.com. “There'd be certain things where the director would say, ‘We want to stand you here and do this.’ And I'd think, ‘I can't, because in my column, I write that they meet at this point,'" Nicola told Town & Country. Spoiler! Who is Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton? She then lowers her hood to reveal her true identity — and it's Penelope with a sly, knowing smile on her face! So how on earth did we miss any foreshadowing for what now seems obvious? Yes, the quick witted and outspoken anonymous gossip columnist (played by Nicola Coughlan and voiced by Julie Andrews) is the shy and unassuming best friend of Eloise, and also secretly desperately in love with Colin Bridgerton. Amidst the hooplah Lady Whistledown publishes her last column, to British society's great disappointment. We answer these questions below. A distraught Penelope tells her now-husband Colin the terrible development, and he comes up with a master plan to save her: tell the truth. (Obviously, some major spoilers ahead!). Penelope also explained in the books that she donated to charities. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Lady Whistledown is none other than Eloise’s best friend, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). It seems Penelope, aka Lady Whistledown, was dropping identity hints all along. The only people aware of this information are her cousins, the Featheringtons. Oprah Daily participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Interest in unmasking the columnist spikes when Lady Danbury offers £1,000 to the person who can discover her. 11 Hints From "Bridgerton" That Pointed To Lady Whistledown's Identity Before The Big Reveal. The column read in part, "All is fair in love and war, but some battles leave no victor. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Halle Berry Stuns in a Sheer, Sexy Red Dress, Savannah Guthrie Shares Emotional Insta With Fans, See Steve Harvey's Laughing Fit on 'Family Feud', Regé-Jean Page Won't Be in 'Bridgerton' Season 2, All the Details About 'Virgin River' Season 3. At a ball thrown by Daphne, he tells all in attendance during a toast: Cue the applause. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Not to mention, her own family — the Featheringtons — is often the subject of scathing criticism from Lady Whistledown (which is certainly a genius move to ensure that no one will suspect her!). Here's why Penelope Featherington decided to be Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton. In the very final moments of episode 8, Lady Whistledown is revealed to be none other than Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), the youngest Featherington daughter and the shy, unassuming best friend of Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) — yes, the very same person who continuously attempted to uncover Lady Whistledown's identity throughout the season! Lady Whistledown is the pseudonym of Penelope Featherington, used to report on the goings-on to manipulate people. And how did Penelope become the most trusted gossip of the ton? In fact, according to Penelope's own Nicola Coughlan, you'll often see the character lurking in the background in some of the show's key scenes — the very same moments that Whistledown ends up writing about in her column. While Netflix's Bridgerton stays true to the original book series in regards to the true identity of Lady Whistledown, the big reveal actually came a lot later in the books. We may earn commission from the links on this page. For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter. Nicola Coughlan’s character is revealed as Lady Whistledown right at the end of the season one finale. There’s a lot of conflict between Penelope and Eloise, and when Bridgerton inevitably returns for a second ... as Lady Whistledown, Penelope has … The two end up living happily ever after, with Colin publishing a series of his personal travel journals and Penelope retiring her pseudonym to write a novel based on her life: The Wallflower. We knew that there was a portion of the audience that had read the books and had their thoughts and theories about who Lady Whistledown was. If you think about it, Lady Whistledown's secret identity makes so much sense. Well dear reader, regardless of your reasoning, we're about to tell you right now. Bridgerton book readers don’t discover that Penelope is Lady Whistledown — or the depths of her feelings for Colin Bridgerton — until Book 4, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. Once you learn Penelope is Lady Whistledown, you slowly begin to realize that the writer always seemed to know the same bits of information that the youngest Featherington was privy to. Well, now that viewers are in on Lady Whistledown's secret identity, the only question that remains is what this means for season 2 of Bridgerton. Which, of course, leads us to the question everyone has been wondering since the very first episode: Who is Lady Whistledown, anyway? She's the youngest Featherington daughter—a hopeless romantic with a big heart. In episode 6's "Swish," just before Colin and Marina elope, Lady Whistledown reveals to all that Marina is hiding a pregnancy and has been since arriving in London at the beginning of the season. Bridgerton season 2: Lady Whistledown’s identity exposed as Penelope star teases bombshell (Image: Netflix/Getty) Bridgerton: Penelope was revealed as … It's this unrequited infatuation that gave us the biggest hint to her identity earlier in the season—but we'll get to that in a moment. Specifically, Lady Whistledown isn't revealed to be Penelope until the fourth novel, titled Romancing Mister Bridgerton. Against Penelope's wishes he reads its contents, where he finds Lady Whistledown's actual last column, which served to shut down her arch nemesis Cressida Twombley's public claim that she was Whistledown. Use Whistledown. At the time of Cressida's blackmail attempt, Penelope knew she had at least £8,426 to her name, which is around £911,257.74 today ($1,230,015.70), according to a nifty inflation calculator. He's both furious, jealous, and impressed with Penelope's secret and agrees to keep it to himself. Here's why Penelope Featherington decided to be Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton. “I think that there were always two tracks for us in the writers’ room, when looking at Lady Whistledown. ... Lady Whistledown and Penelope both reference famous poet, Lord Byron, in the first episode. But in the fourth book, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Lady Whistledown isn't revealed to the ton until 11 years after Penelope began the papers at age 17. Bridgerton's Nicola Coughlan has dropped a major Bridgerton bombshell. How long can Penelope keep up the ruse, and will her secret eventually be exposed to the other characters? Is Sandra Oh Coming Back to 'Grey’s Anatomy'? Season one of Bridgerton saw Penelope Featherington, played by Nicola Coughlan, unveiled as Lady Whistledown Credit: Netflix What were the clues about Lady Whistledown's identity? You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Danielle Brooks on Playing Mahalia Jackson, "The Serpent" Is Your Next True Crime Obsession, How Aretha Franklin Was Impacted by Her Husbands, Drew Barrymore's Key to Life? Despite being completely hooked to Netflix's Bridgerton, we were shook when we learnt the true identity of Lady Whistledown. But the most obvious? “Perhaps I will come forward one day," she says. Fast forward a few chapters, and Cressida Twombley has figured out what Penelope's hiding. All Your 'Bridgerton' Season 2 Questions, Answered, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. So basically, Penelope was a super rich independent working woman in the early 19th century—and nobody knew. Gossip Girl may have waited six long seasons to reveal the true identity of the titular character, but Bridgerton didn't wait — it unmasked its anonymous narrator in the last episode of the first season. On the surface, the biggest mystery of Season 1 of Bridgerton was the identity of the anonymous gossip who spilled the ton’s tea in a widely circulated leaflet, Lady Whistledown… Fans of the Julia Quinn books that Bridgerton is based on already know that of course. Dear reader, we'll just have to wait and see. Yours truly, Lady Whistledown." "Not Staying Stuck", "Can't" Is Not In Dionne Warwick's Vocabulary, All About OWN's Rich, Fulfilling New Show, Delilah, Cynthia Erivo on Finding Her Inner Aretha, Cierra Glaudé Went From PA to Queen Sugar Director. When answering this very question for Colin, Penelope said the column was accidentally started when her father's lawyer discovered random musings she'd written down about a miserable first season as a debutante. After the first four years, she gave all the funds she earned to her mother, disguised as money left behind by a great aunt. It was about keeping the mystery alive and fun for fans of the books, but also, never being ahead of it. No one in the Bridgerton world is aware, yet. Whistledown describes Lady Portia Featherington as a "tasteless, tactless mama," reflecting Penelope's feelings toward her mother. Penelope then went home and, along with her sisters, fawned over the dresses Genevieve had brought for them. It’s… Penelope Featherington! This clearly disappointed Penelope, who's loved Colin from afar for years. All the Bridgerton clues for Lady Whistledown reveal. But now, Nicola Coughlan (who played Penelope Featherington - aka Lady Whistledown) in the series , has explained there was actually a major clue in the very first scene of Bridgerton , which we all missed. The new Netflix series, which is based on the romance novel series by Julia Quinn and produced by Grey's Anatomy's Shonda Rhimes, delivers everything from lavish costumes and gorgeous set design to an absolutely swoon-worthy cast (and everything in between!). Now, for one final question: Will all of this come to light on the show? “Lady Whistledown has gone too far this time,” Eloise tells Penelope about their entangled family drama. This content is imported from {embed-name}. Again, we look to the books. The dramatic reveal comes a bit sooner than in the books, where readers had to wait for two years until the fourth novel, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, to learn of Penelope's alter ego. It looks like we'll have to wait to find out, dear readers, but we're definitely already on the edge of our seats for the next chapter of the Bridgerton saga! Penelope is likely someone you least expected, but if you’re a reader of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels, then you already knew Penelope is Lady Whistledown herself. It's a huge reveal -- the secret identity of this writer had been the subject of speculation throughout the series, and was being investigated by multiple characters. The money she earns is deposited in a secret account in her name. And in true evil villain fashion, she blackmails her for £10,000. And the night before her most scandalous edition hit the hands of the ton, Penelope arrived sobbing in the Bridgerton gardens to be comforted by Eloise. He then watches her drop off a package in the back of a pew. Penelope's secret came out to viewers in the last minutes of the finale when Eloise—who had been desperate to uncover Lady Whistledown—thwarts Queen Charlotte's attempt to trap and unveil her as she makes a trip to the printers. The fact that Penelope is Whistledown does set up some enticing places for Bridgerton to potentially visit in future seasons. Therefore, everyone assumes it's … So why did the show decide to spill the beans on Bridgerton's biggest secret so early on? Penelope went to visit Eloise and learned that Eloise had figured out that Lady Whistledown was Genevieve. It turns out that Penelope Featherington was Lady Whistledown all along. Another big clue is the reveal of Miss Thompson’s pregnancy and plot to marry Colin. The normally shy Featherington shines a coquettish smile as she unveils herself to the audience towards the end of "After The Rain," suggesting she takes some pleasure in her role writing the scandal papers. Impressed, it was the lawyer's idea to publish her words as a column, and he made all the necessary arrangements with a printer to have them distributed. The book Romancing Mister Bridgerton gives us the backstory we need. "I think it sets up future seasons in a really interesting way that I'm excited about.". Pen smiles faintly and says, “And I thought you her greatest admirer.” AD They have four children: Agatha, Thomas, Jane, and George. Our editors handpick the products that we feature. It's important to remember that the only people who know Whistledown's identity are us, the audience. But perhaps one of the best parts about the series is the enigmatic identity of Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews), the town's anonymous gossip columnist who shakes up Regency-era London with her all-knowing scandal sheet. Colin, whose relationship with Penelope grows closer by the day (they get married in the books, FYI) is convinced Eloise is the culprit until he secretly follows Penelope to a church deep in London. Whether you enjoy some steamy romance or you're just a sucker for a good period drama, it seems as if everyone's latest TV obsession is Bridgerton. Michael Strahan Reveals His New Look Online, The Louvre's Entire Art Collection is Now Online. Only a trail of broken hearts that makes us wonder if the price we pay is ever worth the fight. 13 Affordable Spring Items to Energize Your Home, Supporting the Asian Community During the Pandemic. Penelope isn’t for one moment considered a possible candidate -- both by Eloise and, Bridgerton seems to presume, by the viewer -- which makes her the perfect person to be Lady Whistledown. In case you missed it, the shocking final scene shows a hooded figure riding in a carriage as Julie Andrews narrates Lady Whistledown's latest gossip column. Yes, the quick witted and outspoken anonymous gossip columnist (played by Nicola Coughlan and voiced by Julie Andrews) is the shy and unassuming best friend of Eloise, and also secretly desperately in love with Colin Bridgerton. In the event of a season 2, it'll be interesting to see how Van Dusen continues the storyline since he's made a few changes in his adaptation. And as she told Marina, she did not "condone" her deceit. The 34-year-old actress, who plays Penelope Featherington and—spoiler alert—Lady Whistledown, took to Twitter on Saturday, Feb. 20 to share a fun fact about her first scene. "Though, you must know, dear reader, that decision shall be left entirely up to me. At that moment, the fifth oldest Bridgerton unknowingly saves her bff. Never telegraphing where we’re going.". In the final moments of Netflix's Bridgerton, the identity of Lady Whistledown is finally revealed to be Penelope Featherington. Well, dear readers, we're happy to say that we have all the answers as to the mysterious woman's identity — and you'll absolutely want to read on for the show's shocking reveal of the biggest secret of the season. Desperate times may cause for desperate measures, but I would wager many will think her actions beyond the pale.". At first glance, it might seem that our darling Pen would be the very last person that could be the sly and conniving Lady Whistledown: She's shy and sweet, and her storyline in the show mainly centers around being desperately and secretly in love with Colin Bridgerton (Luke Netwon). The only way to save him from being trapped into marriage, while also appearing to maintain loyalty to her family's secret? Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Firstly the hint is her in name, Penelope’s nickname is literally Pen aka writing aka Lady Whistledown. Penelope Featherington is revealed as Lady Whistledown in the Bridgerton season 1 finale, which is a twist that adds yet more heartbreak to her story. he's made a few changes in his adaptation. She's also closest to Penelope, who knew of Marina's plan to have Colin fall in love with her and have a quick wedding so the baby could appear to be his, instead of conceived out of wedlock to another man. Why trust us? Specifically, Lady Whistledown isn't revealed to be Penelope until the fourth novel, titled Romancing Mister Bridgerton. Then, there was an entirely new group of people that are not as familiar with the books, and have no idea where the story of Lady Whistledown went. Penelope was impressed that she could have a job and still write the letters. Speaking of the rumormonger, the tweets about Penelope being Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton are just more proof her Society Papers are the dominant talk of both the ton and Twitter. They wore the dresses and went to a ball. She's also one of the very few people who knew about Marina Thompson's (Ruby Barker) out-of-wedlock pregnancy, a scandal that Lady Whistledown shockingly exposes — and she had plenty of motive to expose it, too, being that Penelope was deeply in love with Colin (who was ready to marry Marina without knowing about her pregnancy from another man). This may be the biggest query of them all, as we wonder how and why a 17-year-old Penelope Featherington decided to become the source of all the hottest tea in Regency London. There were a number of signs that Penelope was Lady Whistledown all along. One of the hilarious tells that Penelope is Whistledown is that the gossipmonger saves her meanest barbs for the Featehringtons. "So, if you went back, you'll spot me in a couple of scenes like 'Where's Waldo.'". Because Bridgerton's Lady Whistledown is none other than... Penelope Featherington.