Bridgerton Season 3's Best Romance Isn't Colin and Penelope

• Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington take center stage in Bridgerton Season 3, but Francesca's emerging romance is the real diamond.
• Francesca's love at first silence with John Stirling displays an introverted type of love.
• Fans may get excited for Francesca's future with John, but there's a chance they'll have to wait a couple more seasons.

The following contains spoilers for Bridgerton Season 3, Part 1, now streaming on Netflix.

The slow burn friends-to-lovers romance between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington has so many people on the edge of their seats on Bridgerton. So much so that the series opted to ditch the order of Julia Quinn's novel series by skipping Benedict's book and adapting Colin's book for Season 3. But there's one quiet romance that has blossomed in full bloom at the same time between Francesca Bridgerton and John Stirling.

The Colin and Penelope relationship is everything fans hoped for. There's angst, jealously, pining and plenty of carriage steam. Yet, the doe-eyed fling between Francesca and John has become the true diamond of Season 3. It's an entirely new type of love that Bridgerton has yet to explore. It's not loud or in the dearest reader's face, and even confuses the other Bridgertons. The budding love is catered specifically towards Francesca and John's introverted personalities, giving Bridgerton a new dynamic to tackle.

Francesca Bridgerton and John Stirling Are an Introvert's Dream Match

Francesca and John Keep Things Subtle With Charming Gestures and Few Words

John Stirling speaking to Francesca Bridgerton at a ball in Bridgerton

Split image of Eloise Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton.

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Before the first part of Bridgerton Season 3 releasees, here's a refresher on where Season 2 left the various members of the ton.

Following in her sister Daphne's footsteps, Francesca is Queen Charlotte's diamond of the season. Or better yet, as the queen now refers to the charming title as the "sparkler." It's both a blessing and a curse for Francesca to be London's first sparkler. She has the prestigious title that may go down in regency history, but also has the queen's full attention. With the queen's focus comes an eligible and practical suitor that she hopes Francesca will marry: Lord Samadani. The lord is a marquess who, at first glance, has a lot with Francesca due to them both having several siblings.

As much as Francesca understands the importance of a practical marriage, she also wants to be happy. That's where John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin, steps in. Francesca and John meet outside an event, hardly sharing a word with each other. They don't even exchange names as they stand in silence, recharging all the energy they wasted on a noisy and overwhelming ball. The moment of tranquility was exactly what Francesca needed at the moment, which John understood on a personal level. On the flip side, Lord Samadani only assumes Francesca wants a busy house of eight kids, not even taking into account that growing up with several siblings begs her to have peace and quiet.

Over the first four episodes of Season 3, John and Francesca frequently bump into each other, as if an invisible string of fate is pulling them together. John visits Francesca during calling hour, in which they both fondly sit in silence beside each other. He also gifts her a revised piece of music at a slower pace that doesn't submerge Francesca in anxiety. When they do speak to each other, it's often awkward and riddled with misunderstandings, but it's the love language of gestures that seals the bond between them. For the first time in Bridgerton history, a sibling has fallen in love without their being a catch or any hate and jealously brewing between the two. It's pure, contagious love that is the true meaning of love at first sight.

Francesca Became the Standout Bridgerton of Season 3

Francesca's Blossoming Romance With John Works Thanks to Her Bigger Presence in Season 3

Francesca stands with Violet and Hyacinth in Bridgerton.

Split Images of Anthony, Penelope and Simon

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As Francesca is introduced to society this season, Bridgerton showcases her personality that's been well-hidden in the past two seasons. Francesca is introverted, quiet and enjoys her time alone, playing the pianoforte. She's a wallflower like Penelope, but in a different way. Whereas Penelope had trouble gaining the attention of men before her makeover and newfound confidence, Francesca doesn't have that problem. Francesca just hates attention, which is why she's determined to find a husband as quickly as possible to avoid balls.

Francesca's a rare beauty among all the main characters in the series. Almost every character seen speaks up for themselves and pays no mind to other people's eyes on them. Even Penelope finds power in her words as Lady Whistledown. Queen Charlotte admires Francesca's happiness with being alone in her own presence when she finds the young girl playing the pianoforte by herself. Unlike many other suitors and potential diamonds, Francesca doesn't exploit her hobbies for a betrothal. But being quite shy, it's hard for Violet Bridgerton to understand Francesca's aversion to social events. Francesca is a tricky book to read, making John more charming when he's able to fulfill her desires.

As happy as it makes her mother and herself to find true love, Queen Charlotte quickly catches on to the fact that Francesca isn't following the path she's laid for her sparkler. It's not as if the queen shouldn't have seen this coming. Both of her previous diamonds, Daphne and Edwina Sharma, fell in love with suitors that weren't the queen's first choice and Francesca isn't a typical diamond either. She's excited by the prospect of falling in love with a man who may be deemed boring by others, but is Francesca's ideal love interest. A sign of true love is being content in each other's silent presence and understanding each other's love language. By this standard, Francesca and John are a little too perfect by Bridgerton's standards.

Fans May Have to Wait a Couple of Seasons for Francesca's Romance

With Other Bridgertons in Line, Francesca and John May Just Be a Background Relationship for Now

Francesca Bridgerton at the piano on Bridgerton

split image of Penelope, Colin and Marina

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Before viewers get too excited about a full season of Francesca and John, there are a couple of roadblocks standing in the way. For one, there are still a couple more Bridgertons to go through before Francesca gets her time in the spotlight. Bridgerton hasn't been opposed to switching the order of the seasons to best accommodate the storyline's natural progression. Benedict was technically supposed to be Season 3, according to the Bridgerton novel series' order, but Colin and Penelope's relationship was already on the fast track.

Bridgerton could appeal to Francesca being the next sibling to have a main storyline, but that would mean sidelining Benedict and Eloise again. Eloise could possibly wait a few more seasons since she's developing an interesting friendship with Cressida Cowper. But Benedict is the most stagnant Bridgerton in the ton. There are only so many failed romantic ventures the free-spirited creative can endure before settling down. But stalling Francesca's season may be a good thing for her and John. The couple do eventually get married, but it's not a happily-ever-after situation.

John dies two years after they wed, and she falls for his cousin and best friend Michael Stirling in Julia Quinn's book When He Was Wicked. By all means, Francesca and John should be pushed to the background for his sake. Bridgerton should give the viewers Eloise and Benedict's seasons, allowing Francesca and John plenty of time on-screen as a married couple. The eventual tragedy of Francesca becoming a widow will hurt around Season 6, but isn't it better for her to be happy for a short time than to not be happy at all?

Bridgerton Season 3, Part 1 is now streaming on Netflix. Part 2 premieres June 13, 2024.

Anthony stands between Kate (left) and Edwina (right) on the Bridgerton Season 2 Poster

Bridgerton

The eight close-knit siblings of the Bridgerton family look for love and happiness in London high society.

Release DateDecember 25, 2020CastRuth Gemmell, Jonathan Bailey, Rege-Jean Page, Julie AndrewsMain GenreDramaGenresDrama, Romance, HistoryRatingTV-MASeasons2StudioShondalandCharacters ByJulia QuinnCreatorChris Van DusenStreaming Service(s)Netflix