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Spoilers ahead for the Bridgerton book series and season three of the Netflix series.
In season three of Bridgerton, Francesca finally becomes the main character.
Now played by Hannah Dodd (who has since been recast), Francesca is the sixth Bridgerton sister. In Julia Quinn’s novels, her love story takes place in When He Was Wicked, and season three of Bridgerton has set up that storyline, introducing John Stirling (played by Victor Alli) and Michaela Stirling (played by Masali Baduza).
“Francesca’s story is beautiful, but it’s also heartbreaking, and I think that’s what makes it special,” Dodd told Town & Country. “Hopefully people can relate to it in a completely different way than what we’ve seen.” However, she added, “I don’t know what the writers were thinking. I don’t know if we’re going to go with the whole idea of the book.”
In the books, Francesca marries John and they’re together for two years. Tragically, John dies of a brain aneurysm, and his cousin, Michael Stirling, inherits the title of Earl of Kilmartin. Michael and Francesca’s friendship soon turns romantic, and the two fall in love, marry, and have two children. On the show, Michael plays Michaela Stirling—setting up a possible gay love interest for Francesca in future Bridgerton seasons.
Since Bridgerton has begun to deviate from the order of the books, it’s unclear when Francesca’s love story will take center stage. “I have a very specific plan for where we’re going in each season—which season is which,” Shonda Rhimes said in an interview. “Because you really have to start planting the seeds of the other siblings, and what’s going on with them, to push them into the next season. We’ve actually talked about that, I think, season 6 or maybe season 7.”
The third season gave us Francesca and John’s marriage, and the introduction of Michaela. In the books, Michael attends Francesca and John’s wedding, and falls for her at a pre-wedding dinner. In the show, Michaela meets Francesca at a ball, and then moves in with the newlyweds in Scotland.
Bridgerton has only been officially renewed for a fourth season, so we’ll have to wait and see if Francesca and Michaela’s romance plays out on our screens; however, as Rhimes has previously said, “There are eight Bridgerton siblings, and as far as I know, there are eight seasons of Bridgerton. And there could be more.”
