This article contains spoilers for Bridgerton season 3.
Summary
InBridgertonseason 3, a few allusions are made to Lady Danbury’s past, but they don’t truly make sense unless viewers have seen theBridgertonspinoff,Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.While Lady Danbury is an imposing and fierce character inBridgerton’smain series, she is even more interesting decades earlier inQueen Charlotte.As a young woman, audiences learn about Lady Danbury’s husband, her home life, and her unusually close relationship with the queen. Now, at theend ofBridgertonseason 3, Lady Danbury’s history acts as context for events happening in the present day.
There are two major instances where Lady Danbury’s past becomes important inBridgertonseason 3. The first is Marcus Anderson. Lady Danbury’s brother joinsBridgerton’sseason 3 castand forms an attachment to Violet Bridgerton. Agatha immediately shows resistance towards her brother’s arrival and his affections. The second hint at Danbury’s past comes whenshe and Violet acknowledge Agatha’s affair with Violet’s father, Lord Ledger. Violet falling in love with Agatha’s brother is similar to Agatha falling in love with Violet’s father. For the first time, the friends reference what occurred duringQueen Charlotte.
Bridgerton Just Made It Impossible Not To Rewatch Queen Charlotte
Bridgerton References Queen Charlotte
Bridgertonseason 3’s mentions of Lady Danbury’s past make it imperative to watch or rewatchQueen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.These storylines mostly make sense withoutQueen Charlotte,buthaving that context makes them way better. When it comes to Marcus,viewers who have seenQueen Charlottehave a better understandingof why Agatha hated her brother so much.Queen Charlotteoffers the inside scoop into Agatha’s home life and the husband she was trying to escape. In terms of Violet, onlyQueen Charlottehas openly revealed what occurred between Agatha and Lord Ledger.
AfterBridgertonseason 3, watchingQueen Charlottecan give viewers much more clarity
Now thatBridgertonhas referenced so much of Lady Danbury’sQueen Charlottestory, it is incredibly tempting to go back and watch it all again. Withevery new season ofBridgerton,it will be interesting to compare Lady Danbury’s present-day actions to what occurred in the past.Queen Charlotteprovides so much background for Agatha’s actionsand personality that it is a shame to not watch the spinoff series. AfterBridgertonseason 3, watchingQueen Charlottecan give viewers much more clarity. More importantly, they will feel more connected to Agatha, Violet, and the queen.
How Violet Knew About Lady Danbury’s Affair With Her Father
Violet Discovered A Paper Crown
DuringBridgertonseason 3,Agatha and Violet quietly admit that they both know about Agatha’s affairwith Lord Ledger. They don’t get into the details, but seem to be on the same page. If Agatha can have a positive relationship with Violet’s father,Violet can have aBridgertonromancewith Marcus. Ultimately, this conversation glosses over how exactly Violet found out about Agatha’s romance, but there is one hint: the paper crown. When Lord Ledger’s paper crown comes into view, it is a reminder of how Violet discovered Agatha’s entanglement with her father inQueen Charlotte.
Violet ended up learning of Agatha’s affair duringQueen Charlotte’spresent-day storyline. Decades after the relationship,Violet finds one of her father’s paper crowns in Agatha’s room. Pairing this with everything Agatha told her about romance and love, she figures out that Agatha had an entanglement with her father. The scene inBridgertonseason 3 is so great because the two finally acknowledge it. Though Violet realizes the truth inQueen Charlotte,it isn’t untilBridgertonseason 3 that the women are truthful with each other. They come to terms with the situation and move on as friends.
The Duke and I
On the Way to the Wedding
Lady Danbury’s Affair Can Only Be Seen In Queen Charlotte
Queen Charlotte Shows What Bridgerton Cannot
Bridgertonseason 3 may bring Agatha and Violet’s relationship full circle, but the main series cannot dive deep into these stories likeQueen Charlottedid. To get the full picture of Lady Danbury’s past,it isvital to watchQueen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.This is especially true when it comes to Agatha’s bond with Lord Ledger.Bridgertonseason 3 provides very little by way of explaining their relationship. However,Queen Charlottegets up close and personal. Audiences can see the affair take place in real time. Despite the complications it causes, Agatha and Ledger’s romance is an enjoyable one.
Shonda Rhimes toldVarietythat, in regard toQueen Charlotteseason 2, she “does not want to tell a story that doesn’t need to be told.”
Overall, this is what makes Lady Danbury and Violet’s conversation in season 3 so smart. There is incredible satisfaction in seeing Agatha and Violet overcome this years-long secret, but the scene also urges those who haven’t watchedQueen Charlotteto give it a try.Queen Charlottemay be a spinoff, butBridgertonhas now proven that it is just as integral as any regular season of the period drama. There arestories and scenes that can only be seen viaQueen Charlotte.AfterBridgertonseason 3, there is hope that the franchise will continue referencingQueen Charlottein the future.
Why Lady Danbury Hated Her Brother Makes Less Sense Without Queen Charlotte
Queen Charlotte Provides A Connection
Although Lady Danbury and Marcus’Bridgertonseason 3 story had much more context than Violet’s did,Queen Charlotteis still vital to understanding the situation. ToBridgertonviewers, Lady Danbury’s grudge against Marcus may seem like a harsh overreaction. It was so many years ago, and he was just a child. However, the reality of the situation is laid out perfectly inQueen Charlotte.In the spinoff,audiences see the miserable existence Agatha lived while marriedto Lord Danbury. In this context, Agatha’s grudge makes way more sense.Queen Charlottehelps connect the present with the past.
In the end,Bridgertonseason 3 has confirmed thatQueen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Storywas not just a one-off series. The stories ofQueen Charlotte’scast could continue to come up with each newBridgertonseason. Violet, Charlotte, and Brimsley could each have their history brought back up. Therefore, ifBridgertoncontinues alluding toQueen Charlotte,viewers have much more of a reason to watch the spinoff.Bridgertonis on its way to creating a larger television universe, and if more spinoffs are on the way, then watching all of them may be necessary.
Bridgerton
Cast
Bridgerton, released on June 17, 2025, is set in Regency-era England and follows the lives of the influential Bridgerton family. The series explores themes of wealth, lust, and betrayal, portraying societal dynamics through a blend of romance and intrigue.
