The Hidden Parent Theory Behind Bridgerton’s Most Painful Romances

I love that Bridgerton sells itself as a swoony romance but keeps slipping in a gut punch. Every couple gets their happy ending with a bruise on it. That tone doesn’t come out of nowhere. It starts with one person: Lady Violet Bridgerton.

Violet is the show’s love playbook

Violet (Ruth Gemmell) loses her husband, Edmund Bridgerton, in a sudden accident while she’s pregnant with their youngest. That is the earthquake that cracks the ground under every love story in this world. From there, Violet raises eight kids to believe love is worth the cost. A true love match breeds respect, and that respect is worth the freedom it gives you. But she also knows the bill always comes due. Love is soft. Loss is permanent. Both are true at once.

Even the names are doing some heavy lifting. Violet, a flower tied to devotion and mourning. Edmund, a name associated with protection and sacrifice. Yes, it’s on-the-nose. Also yes, it works. Together, they set the show’s emotional baseline: romance here is gorgeous, and it hurts.

How that philosophy shows up in every season

Violet is more than the matriarch; she’s the quiet engine. Every Bridgerton kid plays out her thesis in their own way: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth all get pushed toward love that asks something hard of them. Violet rarely meddles. She just sees the truth before they do and waits them out. A small example: she nudges Colin toward Penelope, then fades into the background as he actually crosses that ballroom. That’s her superpower — guiding without forcing.

So why not give Violet her own prequel?

Here’s the funny thing: Violet has never had a proper season centered on her. Her great love with Edmund lives in flashbacks, memories, and the grief stamped on the family. A prequel about Violet and Edmund — from friendship to marriage to that sudden loss — would connect all the dots the main show has been drawing around. Netflix already proved the format works with Queen Charlotte, which told a complete love story with an ending we already knew and still made it sing.

On the book side, Julia Quinn hasn’t written a dedicated Violet-and-Edmund novel, but there is a section called 'Violet in Bloom' in 'Bridgerton: Happily Ever After.' It’s not a full romance arc, but it gives a flavor. Season 3 also teases a later-in-life connection with Marcus Anderson — not a sweeping, whirlwind thing like Edmund — and it’s unclear if the show intends to chase that further.

Shonda keeps flirting with the idea

Shonda Rhimes has been asked about going back to Violet’s past more than once, and she keeps leaving the door cracked.

There’s no plan to explore anybody in particular. I was just doing this because I was so passionate about the subject... Although in writing, I got very interested in Violet’s story. So we’ll see.

I do have inklings of what another story could be, but I also don’t know. I just want it to be really good if we’re going to tell it.

If Netflix wants another sure thing, a Violet prequel feels like it could deepen the main series and stand on its own the way Queen Charlotte did.

Ruth Gemmell on playing Violet

Gemmell knows exactly how central Violet is to the machine, and she’s blunt about why the role matters to her.

It’s a real privilege to play Violet because I have all nine novels, and I know what kind of linchpin she is.

I have only ever played really shit mums or murderers, so it was quite nice to be someone of some merit for a change. I wish I was like Violet and nothing like her, other than the love for those children.

That last bit gets at the character’s core: she’s not perfect or omnipotent; she’s just brave enough to believe love is worth the fallout — and stubborn enough to let her kids figure it out themselves.

The bottom line

Bridgerton’s romances hurt because Violet taught her children that love worth having will demand something back. Give her the spotlight and you don’t just get a pretty prequel — you get the origin story for how every Bridgerton love story works.

• Bridgerton is based on Julia Quinn’s novels and currently run by showrunner Jess Brownell.
• Main cast includes Ruth Gemmell, Luke Thompson, Jonathan Bailey, Nicola Coughlan, Claudia Jessie, Golda Rosheuvel, and Luke Newton.
• Scores at the moment: IMDb 7.4/10, Rotten Tomatoes 84%.
• Seasons 1–3 are streaming now. Season 4 is set to premiere January 29, 2026 on Netflix (US).