What happened at the end of Bridgerton season 2?
What happened at the end of Bridgerton season 2? Here's everything that happened in the finale of the regency drama.
Bridgerton season 2 followed the fiery and tumultuous love story between Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley).
Their path to love wasn't a walk in the palace garden, with constant sparring matches, avoiding each other and lying about their feelings as he courted her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran).
Despite the constant scowls and frustrations, their hatred soon grew into something more and they finally admitted their burning passion for each other.
Their enemies-to-lovers story was definitely a slow-burn journey worth waiting for, but although they end Bridgerton season 2 as a couple madly in love, a lot of drama unfolded for them to get to this point.
Anthony and Kate's forbidden romance wasn't the only scurrilous court gossip that caught everyone's attention in the second season.
Here's everything that happened at the end of Bridgerton season 2, as we return to the world of sweeping ballgowns for Bridgerton season 3...
Enemies to lovers
After eight episodes of their will-they-won't-they romance, Anthony and Kate finally end up together. But in the final episode, their blossoming relationship nearly came to a disappointing end.
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Anthony rescued Kate after she had an accident while horseback riding in the rain and was in a coma. While she was unconscious, Anthony was forced to confront his fear that stopped him from falling in love — he was afraid of losing people after the tragic death of his father.
The eldest Bridgerton sibling had a heartfelt conversation with his widowed mother Violet (Ruth Gemmell) who encouraged him that: “Real true love is worth it.”
When Kate woke up, Anthony proposed at her bedside, but she turned him down and insisted on going back to India. Kate's mother Lady Mary (Shelley Conn) also talked sense into her daughter and convinced her that she deserved all the love in the world.
Anthony and Kate reunited at the Featherington Ball, who were both now social outcasts after their romance was exposed at his wedding to Edwina. They were at the centre of the juicy gossip amongst society, but it didn't stop them from dancing with each other and ignoring the stares.
Anthony shared a romantic and heartfelt speech after the dance, but even though Kate said yes, she was still adamant that she was going to India. Anthony declared his love for Kate and she responded that she loved him too.
He then proposed to her as he gushed: “I know I am imperfect, but I will humble myself before you because I cannot imagine my life without you, and that is why I wish to marry you."
Kate joked: “You do know there will never be a day where you do not vex me," to which he replied: “Is that a promise, Kathani Sharma?”
In the final scene, Anthony and Kate played a game of Pall-Mall with the Bridgerton family at Aubrey Hall. Their competitive spirit still burned brightly, but they threw in a perfect amount of kissing and romancing at the same time.
Romance for Edwina Sharma
Poor Edwina was unwillingly caught in the love triangle between her husband-to-be Anthony and sister Kate that was happening right under her nose.
Although Edwina's wedding to Anthony ended in disaster, there was a glimmer of hope for the season's diamond when Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) mentioned that her nephew, Prince Friedrich of Prussia was available.
The prince originally tried to court Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) in Bridgerton season one, before she fell into the arms of the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page).
Edwina bonded with Queen Charlotte after the wedding when she showed kindness towards the queen's ill husband King George.
After the fallout of the wedding, Edwina was angry at Kate's betrayal and they had a fraught relationship. The sisters eventually reconciled after Kate's accident and Edwina approved of Kate and Anthony's relationship.
Heartbreak for Penelope Featherington
Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) has been secretly pining for her long-time crush Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), who is still oblivious of her admiration towards him.
However, all her dreams of a romantic union with Colin were shattered in the final episode when she overheard him callously telling his friends that he would never court her.
And there was more heartbreak on the horizon for Penelope when she found herself falling out with another Bridgerton family member...
Lady Whistledown's secret identity was revealed
Penelope had not only lost her love interest, but her best friend Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) too.
Penelope had been leading a double life as the anonymous writer Lady Whistledown, whose social pamphlet was the main source for all the gossip in the ton.
Both Eloise and Queen Charlotte became obsessed with discovering who Lady Whistledown was and Eloise went on a mission to unmask the gossip writer's identity.
She discovered that Lady Whistledown was using the print shop where her love interest Theo Sharpe worked, but Eloise got caught up in the scandal when Queen Charlotte accused her of being Lady Whistledown as she had been seen sneaking around the print shop.
To take the suspicion off Eloise, Penelope wrote scathing gossip about Eloise consorting with “political radicals” in Bloomsbury and destroyed the Bridgerton family's reputation.
At the Featherington ball, Eloise realized that Penelope was Lady Whistledown when she made an observant comment that only Whistledown would make. The pair had a huge fight as Eloise reeled at her best friend's betrayal and for destroying her relationship with Theo.
Their friendship was destroyed by the final episode, as Eloise told Penelope: "I wish never to see or speak to you again.”
More Featherington drama
The Featheringtons were dealing with more drama of their own when it came to conman Jack Featherington (Rupert Young).
The new Lord Featherington claimed to own gem and gold mines in the Americas, but his wealth turned out to be a lie when the gems were revealed to be fake and worthless.
Jack was actually penniless and started scheming with Lady Featherington (Polly Walker) to swindle the people of the Ton in investing in his empty mines.
Colin exposed Jack as a fraud and Lady Featherington kicked him out of the house, but not before forging his signature so that Prudence's (Bessie Carter) son would inherit the estate.
Bridgerton seasons 1-2 are available to watch on Netflix. Bridgerton season 3 part 1 releases on Thursday, May 16 on Netflix. Part 2 will be released on Thursday, June 13.
Grace is a freelancer writer with WhatToWatch.com, and she now writes for our sister site TechRadar. She graduated from Anglia Ruskin University in 2020 with a degree in Writing and Film Studies, which only made her love for creative writing, film and TV grow stronger.
You'll usually find her watching the drama unfold in the latest reality series or much-loved UK soaps (usually with chocolate by her side!). She's an expert in EastEnders, Emmerdale, Coronation Street and everything reality-related from Selling Sunset and Married At First Sight UK to 90 Day Fiancé UK. Plus Netflix megahit Virgin River!
Grace also likes to explore new places with her friends and family and, of course, watch and read about the latest films and TV series.