Bridgerton on Netflix Is Actually VERY Different From The Book—Here’s How
At this point, everyone and their mother has watched the hit Netflix show, Bridgerton. Assuming you've binged the series in its entirety, you already know about the London-famous Bridgerton family, consisting of Lady Bridgerton and her eight children, Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory and Hyacinth—named in alphabetical order.
Did you know that Bridgerton is actually based on the book, The Duke and I, which is the first of just nine books in a series by Julia Quinn? When we found out that little tidbit of information, we immediately bought each and every book and got to reading. And let us tell you—wow, what a difference. Some of our favorite characters from the first season don't even exist in the series' first book! Plus, we don't find out who Lady Whistledown is until much, much, later on. Interested in hearing more? Here are just some of the main differences between Bridgerton the series and its counterpart book, The Duke and I—spoilers ahead!
Simon doesn't box in the book
Boxing is such a huge part of the show, it's hard to imagine the book without it! We love the drama that ensues because of the boxing, and it's something the book just might be missing.
The identity of Lady Whistledown isn't revealed until the fourth book, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton—in fact, there is no hunt for her at all in the first few books!
In the last episode of Bridgerton, we learn that Lady Whistledown is Penelope Featherington, but that's a fact readers don't find out until the fourth book, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. Eloise Bridgerton is set on finding the identity of Lady Whistledown, as are many of the others from the ton, but in the books, there is only brief speculation and no man-hunt.
ALSO READ ABOUT: 48 OF THE BEST QUOTES FROM BRIDGERTON
Simon and Daphne meet in an entirely different way in the book
In the TV series, Daphne meets Simon by accidentally bumping into him in the show while running away from Nigel Berbrook. In the book, however, Simon witnesses Daphne punching Nigel, and it's his very first impression of her.
Marina Thompson is a completely different character, and doesn't even show up until the fifth book, To Sir Phillip, With Love.
Marina Thompson's storyline is perhaps the biggest difference between the show and the movie. She's actually not related to the Featheringtons, but the Bridgertons. In the fifth book, To Sir Phillip, With Love, we're introduced to her character. She's married with twins to a completely different man, meaning she was never introduced to Collin or pregnant out of wedlock. There's much more to her character, but we won't give too much away.
Penelope Featherington's crush on Colin is not revealed until later on in the series
Each book is about each of the Bridgerton siblings' love stories, and we don't find out about Penelope Featherington's crush on Colin until much later. Colin's love story is in the fourth book, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, and it is there where we find out whether or not he shares Penelope's feelings.
Queen Charlotte, Prince Friedrich, Siena Russo and Genevieve Delacroix don't exist in the book series at all
The Queen, the Prince, Siena and Genevieve (the dressmaker) all do not have roles in the book series at all. We, however, love the addition of each character and the drama they bring.
Lord Featherington is already dead in the book
Lord Featherington plays a rather minor role in the show, and even dies by the end of the first season. In the book, however, he's actually already dead at the start!
Simon, the Duke of Hastings, still has a stutter
In the show, we learn about Simon's stutter growing up, and that it was the main cause for his father's disdain toward him. In the book, the same thing is mentioned, however, as he grows older, it's still something he deals with.
Diversity is non-existent in the book series
Every main character in the book series was described as very white, whereas in the show, multiple races are represented. We can't wait to see how Shonda Rhimes continues this in the seasons to come!
Can't get enough Bridgerton content? Look HERE to find out which character you'd be, based on your zodiac sign.