Vote
‘The Gilded Age’: Is Bertha Right to Marry Gladys Off to the Duke? (POLL)
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 3.]
The Gilded Age fans are divided on Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) and her, shall we say, matchmaking methods.
That may be putting it lightly, if we were to ask her daughter, Gladys (Taissa Farmiga). The Russell heiress was determined (at first) to marry for love, but her ambitious mother has been set on forcing her into a union with the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb). The Gilded Age viewers know that Bertha stops at nothing to get what she wants — remember the Metropolitan Opera? — and her daughter acquiring a title will cement her family’s place in society.
Bertha even promised the Duke a huge sum, without consulting her husband (Morgan Spector) first, and planted engagement rumors in newspapers to achieve her goal. The only hurdle left was to actually convince George and Gladys, and in Episode 3, Bertha’s hard work paid off. George agreed to give the Duke the cash, as long as a portion of it belonged solely to Gladys. Heartbroken after Billy (Matt Walker) gave up on their courtship, Gladys then accepted the Duke’s proposal.
Now, all of this begs the question: Is Bertha actually in the wrong here? Or is she actually doing what’s best for Gladys?
Worried about my parenting skills because I fully believe Bertha is correct in this pairing https://t.co/Ucz1fQzRqc
— Sloane Steel (@SloaneSteel) July 7, 2025
Bertha has taken an “end justifies the means” approach to securing the Duke for her daughter, which is difficult to condone. But is her heart in the right place? On one hand, she’s setting up Gladys for a life of influence, something she might not have if she marries some Regular Joe in New York. “I think people who don’t know anything about history are the ones who are really appalled. But honestly she just secured Gladys a safe future even if it’s not the happiest possible one,” one X user wrote.
Gladys, however, doesn’t actually care about those things. Love is more important to her than legacy, while her mother seems to believe the opposite. Though the Duke is definitely a bit too concerned with the monetary benefits that come with marrying into the Russell family, there’s also a chance Gladys will form a real connection with him once they start their life together. There’s also the fact that the duo had an honest conversation about their circumstances in Episode 3, and the Duke really didn’t seem so bad. (We admit that it could be for show.)
“[Bertha’s] methods aren’t ideal, she really should work on building a better relationship with her daughter, but Billy was never the right man for Gladys,” another user said. “I genuinely believe the Duke will be a good husband.”
Others aren’t convinced that Gladys’ situation isn’t dire. “Gladys does not want to be a Duchess, and would not be a good one,” wrote another fan. “Bertha straight up told the Duke, he could manipulate Gladys into giving him her money. Once they’re married, the Duke will show his true colors.” (If the show models itself after history and Gladys’ real-life inspiration, they may be right.)
Where do you stand: Is Bertha actually in the right and making the best move for Gladys’ future? Or is she wrong for arranging a (currently) loveless, transactional marriage? Vote below!
The Gilded Age, Season 3, Sundays, 9/8c, HBO
