Regency Romance
Who Does Francesca Bridgerton End Up With? A Deep Dive Into Her Romantic History in the Books
We’re not sure when Francesca’s season of Bridgerton will come out on Netflix, but we couldn’t wait to find out the rest of her story — so we went straight to the source material.
Compared to the other books in Julia Quinn’s series, When He Was Wicked offers a very different kind of romance. It makes sense for Francesca, who’s the black sheep of the Bridgerton family. Even though she wasn’t the primary focus, we saw more of the reserved and independent Francesca (Hannah Dodd) than ever before in Season 3. It laid the groundwork for her story, which deals with more intense themes compared to the other seven books.
Francesca won’t be taking center stage any time soon — that honor is going to Luke Thompson‘s Benedict next — but we’re likely to get more glimpses of her life in the upcoming fourth season. If your interest was piqued by Francesca’s character, and you need to know what her journey looks like, you’ve come to the right place. Who does Francesca end up with in the book? Who is Michael (aka Michaela) Stirling? Get all of the answers below.
Beware of spoilers if you haven’t read When He Was Wicked!
Who is Francesca Bridgerton married to?
Season 3 saw not only Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) tie the knot, but also Francesca. She enters a sweet courtship with John Stirling (Victor Alli), the Earl of Kilmartin, and they find common ground over their fondness for shared silence and music. True to form, they have a low-key wedding, surrounded only by the Bridgerton family and their closest friends.
Though they seem content with each other, the wedding scene implies that the nature of their connection might be different than the one that they had in the books. After John presses a kiss to his bride’s lips, Francesca has an ambiguous reaction — which many viewers have interpreted as disappointment. Quinn, however, has assured fans that the show versions of her characters do, in fact, love each other.
“She does [love John], trust me, and that needed to be an important part of the story that both she and Michaela are really mourning him, because that’s the crux of the story,” Quinn told Us Weekly.
“I think a lot of people will ship Francesca and John — as do I,” showrunner Jess Brownell told Tudum. “But part of her exploration going forward will be about whether or not there is in fact something missing.”
What happens to John Stirling?
Netflix
John and Francesca’s time together is cut short in When He Was Wicked. Two years into their marriage, the book opens with Francesca finding John unresponsive in their bed. He went to sleep with a severe headache and didn’t wake up. In the author’s note, Quinn explains that John died of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm.
We’re not sure if the show will follow its source material exactly when it comes to John’s death, but Quinn has hinted at the emotional intensity of Francesca’s season. “I don’t know exactly everything [about the script], but I have some sense of what’s gonna happen,” Quinn shared. “I think it’s gonna be a heart-wrenching, emotional season, which is what When He Was Wicked was.”
Who are Michael Stirling and Michaela Stirling?
Michael Stirling is John’s cousin. In When He Was Wicked, we find out that they’re actually more like brothers, since John’s family took Michael in when his father died. In the book, Michael leans into his rakish reputation, but he actually has a heart of gold. He also fell in love with Francesca at first sight, even though she was already with his cousin. He thinks that his feelings are a betrayal to John, so he buries them deep down. Francesca is oblivious, though she forms a close friendship with Michael.
A huge talking point of Season 3 was that Michael had been gender-swapped. Masali Baduza‘s Michaela only had a brief moment in Season 3, but it does suggest that her personality is similar to her book counterpart. “I caution you: Every sordid detail John has spoken about me is a lie,” she jokes to Francesca during their first meeting. “The truth is far worse.”
Cue a flustered Francesca, who stumbles over her words. Francesca’s reaction to Michaela had fan suspecting that the show will change their dynamic from the book, making Francesca interested in Michaela romantically from the get-go. Michaela is traveling with Francesca and John to the Kilmartin’s Scottish estate by the end of Season 3, so we’re guessing we’ll have a clearer idea of their connection come Season 4.
Netflix
Who does Francesca Bridgerton end up with?
In the book, Michael has even more trouble with his feelings for Francesca once John dies. Still mourning, Francesca becomes equally wracked with guilt when her relationship with Michael turns physical.
They do marry eventually, though Francesca doesn’t even realize that she really loves Michael until after they say “I do.” (It’s prompted by Michael coming down with an illness. He recovers, a relieved Francesca proclaims her love for him, and all is well.) The happy couple eventually have two children together — Francesca had wanted to to start a family with John, but struggled to get pregnant. She also had a miscarriage shortly after John’s death.
Though we can’t be sure exactly how their journey will unfold — the time period will surely have an affect on things — Bridgerton is gearing up to give Francesca a queer romance with Michaela. Quinn seems optimistic about how her book will translate to the screen. “I have more information about it than everybody else about how it’s going to be done,” Quinn said. “I felt good about it.”
Bridgerton, Season 4, TBA 2026, Netflix
