Is this Bridgerton Character Going to Have a Queer Love Story?
By Christine Kinori
Dear gentle reader, I am sure most of you are aware that Netflix recently dropped the latest season of Bridgerton. The beloved Regency romance drama released part 1 of the highly anticipated third season of the show, and we are still clutching our pearls after that carriage scene! We are also beside ourselves with excitement over the latest news from the showrunners’ announcement that we will be seeing more LGBTQ+ storylines on the show.
This won’t be the first time the show has included a queer love story into the show. Initially, when the show dropped in 2020, it managed to capture the attention of many viewers all over the world. It quickly rose to be one of the most successful dramas on Netflix, and fans couldn’t get enough. However, many people also took issue with the show for not including any LGBTQ+ characters.
The showrunners took note of the criticism and gave us a beautiful queer love story in the prequel spin-off Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The queer love story of the couple’s footmen, Brimsley and Reynolds, quickly stole our hearts. The spin-off told the story of how a young Queen Charlotte’s marriage to King George of England. Their marriage helped to mould the high society and shape it into the modern ton we see in the current Bridergton universe.
In the show Brimsley and Reynolds find themselves trying to save the relationship between the Queen and the King while also secretly dating. The issues between the royal couple gave them the perfect excuse to secretly meet without anyone batting an eye. Given that this was a time when homosexuality was not just heavily frowned upon in the UK but also strictly illegal, they couldn’t risk being outed.
Even though Brimsley and Reynolds couldn’t express their love for each other openly, they still had a beautiful relationship that spanned for years. Unfortunately, by the time the credits rolled, viewers had more questions than answers about what happened to these lovers. In the finale, we can only see Brimsley nostalgically dancing by himself at a royal party. He imagines he is dancing with Reynolds, and they are in their youth again. It is unclear whether the pressures of society led to their break-up. Others argue that Reynolds probably died, and Brimsley is still secretly mourning him. All we know for certain is that Brimsley never got married; he dedicated his life to serving the Queen.
Although the end of this queer love story was disappointing, it was still fulfilling to witness their relationship. We can’t wait to see how the writers will introduce new queer characters into the show and what their respective fates will be. The show subtly touched on the relationship between Lord Wetherby and Sir Henry Granville, a famous artist. The couple manages to keep a low profile and stay out of the radar by pretending to keep up with societal expectations. Who knows, maybe we will see their story as part of the subplots in the following seasons. Either way, we are excited to welcome these new queer characters. Netflix and Shonda better make haste and tell us more.
About the Author
Christine Siamanta Kinori grew up in a little village in Kenya known as Loitoktok near the border of Kenya and Tanzania. All she wanted to do when she grew up was to explore the world. Her curiosity led her to join Nairobi University to pursue a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. She later got a job with an amazing travel magazine Nomad Africa which gave her the opportunity to explore Africa. She also writes for numerous travel websites about Africa and tries to create a new narrative in the media about our aesthetic continent.
Christine claims to have somewhat unhealthy addiction to TV and reading, as it is a fun way to keep herself occupied during the long journeys for her travel writing. She is also a believer of letting people be their beautiful selves. To her, love is love and it is the greatest gift we have as humans.
