Why Does Anthony Bridgerton Always Mention He's Going To Die?

In anticipation of Bridgerton Season 3, set to premiere in the coming months, many fans have turned to Julia Quinn's romantic book series, which serves as the source material for the Netflix show.

While the first novel is pretty close to the first season's story of Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, Quinn's second book titled The Viscount Who Loved Me might surprise fans of Shonda Rhimes' show, as it's very different from the adaptation.

One of the main things that will catch the attention of first-time readers is the phobia of dying young that Anthony Bridgerton seems to be obsessed with in the book. From the very first chapter, Lord Bridgerton keeps mentioning that he is going to die young — but where does this strange premonition come from?

If you are confused about it and have the feeling you've missed something, we are here to give you a thorough explanation.

Just like Episode 3 of Season 2, The Viscount Who Loved Me features the tragic death of the Bridgerton patriarch, Edmund. His death at the age of 38 from a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting was sudden and hit the family very hard. Anthony, 18 at the time, was perhaps most affected by the tragedy because, in addition to dealing with his loss, he also had to assume responsibility for the family and his grieving pregnant mother.

Anthony worshiped his father as a hero, and it was impossible for him to imagine surpassing Edmund in any way, including living longer. Without proper counseling to help him overcome his trauma and phobia, Anthony began not only fearing but believing he would die young like his father.

On top of that, the books mention that Edmund's younger brother Hugo died the year before him, which undoubtedly exacerbated Anthony's premonition of imminent death. In the book, this conviction forms Anthony's character and influences his every move and decision, including his commitment to never fall in love.

In the Netflix series, Anthony's reasoning behind not wanting to marry for love is also related to his father's death. However, the tone is slightly different: he doesn't want to find himself or his significant other as broken as his mother was by his father's death.

Fortunately, in both the book and the adaptation, Kate manages to change his belief system, leading to a happy marriage and a long, healthy life. In the novel's epilogue, the Bridgertons gather to celebrate Anthony's 39th birthday, which symbolizes the end of his phobia.