We’re not sure when Francesca’s season of Bridgerton will come out on Netflix, but we couldn’t wait to find out the rest of her story — so we went straight to the source material.
Compared to the other books in Julia Quinn’s series, When He Was Wicked offers a very different kind of romance. It makes sense for Francesca, who’s the black sheep of the Bridgerton family. Even though she wasn’t the primary focus, we saw more of the reserved and independent Francesca (Hannah Dodd) than ever before in Season 3. It laid the groundwork for her story, which deals with more intense themes compared to the other seven books.
Francesca won’t be taking center stage any time soon that honor is going to Luke Thompson‘s Benedict next but we’re likely to get more glimpses of her life in the upcoming fourth season. If your interest was piqued by Francesca’s character, and you need to know where she’ll end up, you’ve come to the right place. Who does Francesca end up with? Who is Michael (aka Michaela) Stirling? Get all of the answers below.
Who is Francesca Bridgerton married to?
Season 3 saw not only Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) tie the knot, but also Francesca. She enters a sweet courtship with John Stirling (Victor Alli), the Earl of Kilmartin, and they find common ground over their fondness for shared silence and music. True to form, they have a low-key wedding, surrounded only by the Bridgerton family and their closest friends.
Though they seem content with each other, the wedding scene implies that the nature of their connection might be different than the one that they had in the books. After John presses a kiss to his bride’s lips, Francesca has an ambiguous reaction which many viewers have interpreted as disappointment. Quinn, however, has assured fans that the show versions of her characters do, in fact, love each other.
“She does [love John], trust me, and that needed to be an important part of the story that both she and Michaela are really mourning him, because that’s the crux of the story,” Quinn told Us Weekly.
“I think a lot of people will ship Francesca and John — as do I,” showrunner Jess Brownell told Tudum. “But part of her exploration going forward will be about whether or not there is in fact something missing.”
What happens to John Stirling?
John and Francesca’s time together is cut short in When He Was Wicked. Two years into their marriage, the book opens with Francesca finding John unresponsive in their bed. He went to sleep with a severe headache and didn’t wake up. In the author’s note, Quinn explains that John died of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm.
We’re not sure if the show will follow its source material exactly when it comes to John’s death, but Quinn has hinted at the emotional intensity of Francesca’s season. “I don’t know exactly everything [about the script], but I have some sense of what’s gonna happen,” Quinn shared. “I think it’s gonna be a heart-wrenching, emotional season, which is what When He Was Wicked was.”
Who are Michael Stirling and Michaela Stirling?
Michael Stirling is John’s cousin. In When He Was Wicked, we find out that they’re actually more like brothers, since John’s family took Michael in when his father died. In the book, Michael leans into his rakish reputation, but he actually has a heart of gold. He also fell in love with Francesca at first sight, even though she was already with his cousin. He thinks that his feelings are a betrayal to John, so he buries them deep down. Francesca is oblivious, though she forms a close friendship with Michael.
A huge talking point of Season 3 was that Michael had been gender-swapped. Masali Baduza‘s Michaela only had a brief moment in Season 3, but it does suggest that her personality is similar to her book counterpart. “I caution you: Every sordid detail John has spoken about me is a lie,” she jokes to Francesca during their first meeting. “The truth is far worse.”
Cue a flustered Francesca, who stumbles over her words. Francesca’s reaction to Michaela had fan suspecting that the show will change their dynamic from the book, making Francesca interested in Michaela romantically from the get-go. Michaela is traveling with Francesca and John to the Kilmartin’s Scottish estate by the end of Season 3, so we’re guessing we’ll have a clearer idea of their connection come Season 4.
Who does Francesca Bridgerton end up with?
In the book, Michael struggles even more with his feelings for Francesca once John dies. A mourning Francesca becomes equally wracked with guilt when her relationship with Michael turns physical. They do marry eventually, though Francesca doesn’t even realize that she really loves Michael until after they say “I do.” (It’s prompted by Michael coming down with an illness toward the end of the book. He recovers, Francesca proclaims her love for him, and all is well. The happy couple eventually have children together, naming one of them after John.)
While the exact details of how Francesca’s love story will unfold on screen remain under wraps, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: Bridgerton is preparing to chart bold new territory by introducing a queer romance between Francesca and Michaela. The shift promises to bring fresh emotional depth and a modern sensibility to the regency world viewers have come to adore. Of course, the time period in which the series is set will undoubtedly add complexity to their journey, but that only heightens anticipation for how their story will be handled.
Author Julia Quinn, whose original novels inspired the hit Netflix series, has expressed cautious optimism about the changes. Speaking about the adaptation, Quinn revealed that she has been given insider knowledge about how the new storyline will be portrayed on screen. “I have more information about it than everybody else about how it’s going to be done,” she shared. “I felt good about it.” Her confidence offers reassurance to longtime fans and new viewers alike that the essence of Francesca’s character and the emotional authenticity at the heart of her arc will be preserved, even as the narrative takes a bold and inclusive new direction.
