After an explosive season 2 of Bridgerton, fans are wondering what will become of season 3. Simone Ashely (Kate Sharma) recently did an exclusive interview with Deadline and assured viewers that “We’re going to be back! Kate and Anthony are just getting started.” As important as Kate and Anthony’s love story was in season 2, the friendship between Eloise Bridgerton and Penelope (Pen) Featherington was just as dramatic.
As neighbors, Eloise and Pen are best friends. They gossip together but they also understand one another. Eloise had some of the best quotes in the series as she hunted down Lady Whistledown. However, after a diabolical season 2 finale, Bridgerton fans are unsure where that leaves Eloise and Pen’s friendship in season 3.
Their Best Moments
Dissecting Art & Eating Chocolate As Besties
It doesn’t matter if Eloise and Penelope are at home or a ball, these two shared best friend moments regardless of the event. In the episode ‘Art of the Swoon,’ Eloise and Pen were observing art. In a quick scene, the besties observed a painting and agreed that women were objectified in art because most of the painters were men. They joked and giggled about being “human vases” while those around them looked on.
Likewise, in the season 1 finale, Penelope stopped by the Bridgertons to hang out with Eloise. As the two sat on the couch, they snacked on chocolates and gossiped about Lady Whistledown’s identity. Seeing the two young women snack, talk, and dissect is exactly what best friends do.
Eloise Was There During Penelope’s Heartbreak
Both Bridgerton characters have had sad things happen to them. Eloise felt like she couldn’t live her full truth because of society’s standards for women, and Pen’s family was secretly broke.
In what was one of the saddest moments, Pen and Eloise were fighting over Lady Whistledown in season 1. And after a few days of silence between the pair, Pen approached Eloise while she was on a swingset. Penelope bawled her eyes out at the sight of Eloise. Without her friendship during issues with Marina, Colin, and her family, Penelope felt alone and heartbroken. Seeing Eloise leap to comfort her friend despite their row was commendable.
Who Needs Husbands When They Have Each Other?
Penelope and Eloise weren’t the eldest of their respected families, so they didn’t have as much pressure as say someone like Daphne Bridgerton. Because of Eloise’s family’s rank and title, her mother was more adamant about her finding a husband than Penelope’s mom was. And while they were at the age where they could look for suitors, they’re not judged for still being single (as of season 2).
Star Gazing And Venting
In the premiere of season 1, Eloise hated hearing that she had the possibility of being that year’s diamond. She didn’t want to dance at balls or have people look at her. To calm down, she and Pen went to the gardens for fresh air.
While Eloise gets credited with being one of the more intelligent Bridgerton characters, Penelope’s intelligence should not be ignored. While the two women layed in a field of flowers, Pen assured Eloise that the balls and events weren’t all that bad. As wallflowers, they got the best drinks and food first, they heard town gossip, and they got to watch all of the best dances. The two conversed about the struggles of growth as they held each other, which was an adorable moment.
The Lord Morrison Debacle
It didn’t take long, but Eloise realized Lord Morrison wasn’t for her because he didn’t respect women. She left the dance floor in tears due to being uncomfortable and Penelope chased after her in support, the way a true friend does.
Their Worst Moments
Penelope Never Told Eloise About Lady Whistledown
Because of Lady Whistledown’s scandalous stories, Eloise had been hunting down her true identity for two seasons, but in the season 2 finale, Eloise put two and two together: Pen and Whistledown were the same.
While Pen stayed at the ball, Eloise excused herself and went through Pen’s room for proof of Whistledown. Inside the floorboards were Whistledown writings and money. Eloise knew at that moment that her best friend was secretly the person dragging the Bridgertons and ton through the mud.
Penelope Exposed Eloise’s Secrets
In the episode ‘Harmony,’ the Bridgertons were shocked when the latest version of Whistledown exposed Eloise’s secrets of supporting radicals and spending personal time with Theo, a man who wasn’t a part of the upper class. Although Theo and Eloise weren’t dating, they had one of the best possible relationships in Bridgerton.
Eloise thought her reputation was ruined but she had the support of her family to get her through. When she eventually found out that it was her best friend who spilled her private truth, it made the situation far worse.
Eloise Was The Ringleader In Their Friendship
Even though Eloise and Pen were best friends, their relationship was one-sided at times. Eloise was more vocal than Penelope and wasn’t afraid to go against the grain of society. She often spoke over Pen or didn’t care about the issues Pen was going through.
An example of this was when Eloise mocked Pen for wanting to find a suitor to marry. Pen reminded Eloise that she wasn’t born into privilege like she was and that if she wanted a happy and safe future, she’d need to marry. In another instance, Pen compared herself to a parched rose at a ball with no suitors. As usual, Eloise didn’t listen to Pen, but if she did. she would have realized who Lady Whistledown was earlier because Pen used the same comparison in her next Whistledown sheet… At that time, any character could have been Lady Whistledown but Eloise was too wrapped up in her own drama.
They Didn’t Always See Eye-To-Eye With Lady Whistledown
Even though they were best friends, Pen wasn’t always honest with Eloise. Not only did Pen not tell her about Lady Whistledown, but she also never told her that she was in love with Colin, Eloise’s brother.
Likewise, Eloise was so obsessed with finding Lady Whistledown’s identity that she often ignored Pen’s own obvious issues. In ‘An Affair of Honor,” Eloise went to Pen’s house in the middle of the night and shared her latest Whistledown assumption. Penelope, however, was too stressed over Colin and Marina to care about Eloise’s latest findings. She told Eloise she had more important things to worry about, which created a gap in their friendship.
Keeping Eloise From Theo
Although Eloise was against the idea of love, she did fall for a young man named Theo. Theo worked at the print shop and went to all of the secret radical meetings that Eloise was interested in. They had the potential to be one of the best couples in Bridgerton.
