Is There Time Jump? Quick Recap Of Bridgerverse Timeline, Including Season 3

Dearest gentle readers, heaven knows we thought this day would never come, but finally it is almost here. Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1 is set to land on Netflix in just a couple of days, on May 16th. Already on Thursday, we will be sitting in front of our small and not so small screens to devour the first four episodes revolving around the love story of Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton.

The end of the long Bridgerton drought is a real cause for celebration. So Bridgerverse fans have been preparing for the bodice-ripping binge by rewatching the first two seasons of the parent series and the spinoff devoted to young Queen Charlotte, as well as rereading Julia Quinn's Romancing Mister Bridgerton, which became the basis for the upcoming chapter.

Naturally, Quinn's readers are eager to see which book arcs and details will find their way to the screen. While the Bridgerton cast and crew have promised that the adaptation will be faithful to the source material, there is one big part that will have to be changed. And that change may be confusing to both seasoned fans and casual viewers.

We are talking about the Bridgerverse timeline.

Puzzling Timeline

The Netflix show only mentions the dates in passing, leaving many viewers scratching their heads. Most only know that the show takes place in the Regency era. The addition of the prequel, unfolding in two time periods (including the present), only made this impression messier.

To add to the confusion, the events of Romancing Mister Bridgerton begin after a major time jump. And Julia Quinn's readers can't help but wonder if the same thing will happen in Season 3.

If you are also having trouble keeping track of the Bridgerverse timeline, we are here to help. Here is a brief and clear recap of the time periods for all four installments of the romantic franchise, including this week’s episodes.

Season One: 1813

The romantic story of the eldest Bridgerton daughter, Daphne, sets the whole Bridgerton machine in motion. Just like in the book series, her 'fake' relationship with Simon Basset unfolded during the 1813 social season.

As usual, in early April, Daphne and other young eligible bachelorettes of the ton were presented to the Queen. And already in June, Daphne and Simon rushed to tie the knot. In August 1813, they hosted a fateful ball that cemented them as a happy couple.

The only scene in the premiere season that takes place in another year is the birth of baby Auggie in the final moments of the last episode. The heir to the Duke of Hastings is born in March 1814.

Season Two: 1814

Daphne's eldest brother sets out to find a wife a few weeks after the birth of his first nephew. Anthony and Kate have their horse-riding meet cute in April. Their tumultuous relationship unfolds over four months, and after a drama-filled engagement with Edwina (the scandalously ruined wedding takes place in July 1814), the couple finally give in to their feelings and quietly marry in August.

A month later, the newlyweds set off on their six-month honeymoon. Colin leaves for his travels around the same time. And Eloise and Penelope stay behind to continue their feud over Lady Whistledown's secret.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story: 1761, 1814-1815

If the first two chapters are in line with their source books as far as the timeline is concerned, the Queen Charlotte spinoff is a completely different matter. When it was written by Shonda Rhimes, the prequel had no source material, the book was published later. So there could be some confusion.

The story of the queen takes place in two time periods. In the past, young Charlotte arrives in England to enter her arranged marriage to George. It is the year 1761. In the present, we see the older generation of the parent series, who give us some clues about the exact year.

In one of the scenes, Violet Bridgerton is seen with two grandchildren, one of whom is definitely Auggie and the second, fans believe, is his brother, Daphne and Simon's second baby. Daphne must have gotten pregnant again right after her first childbirth.

In addition, Violet tells Lady Danbury that Anthony and Kate are still on their honeymoon, which means it's been less than six months since the Season 2 finale.

To further support this theory, the prequel shows the royal family's Christmas preparations. This allows us to conclude that the characters are celebrating the transition to 1815, with further scenes set in the spring of that year.

Season Three: 1815

Finally, we come to the main question: will there be a time jump before the third son-third daughter story?

In Julia Quinn's book, Colin is a 33-year-old bachelor and Penelope is a 28-year-old spinster. In the show, however, Pen is barely 20 and Colin is only 22. And the numerous promo materials clearly state that this will remain unchanged in Season 3.

Apparently, the creators decided to maintain the continuity of the in-universe timeline, and the pilot of the upcoming chapter will start just a few weeks after the end of Queen Charlotte and about six months after the Season 2 finale.

While this is a big departure from the source material, the showrunners' decision actually works out well for the show, allowing us to follow the lives of the beloved characters without long breaks. If only that were the case with the show itself.