‘Bridgerton’: Get to Know Sophie Baek’s Family Before Season 4

At this point, we don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that Bridgerton Season 4 is a Cinderella story. Benedict (Luke Thompson), who is all but ton royalty as one of the Bridgerton children, falls for a mysterious lady at a masquerade. Little does he know that the object of his desire is actually maid Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), who snuck into the party for a brief escape from her arduous household duties.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Cinderella story if a wicked stepmother weren’t involved. Sophie is forced to obey Araminta’s (Katie Leung) every whim. The same goes for Araminta’s two daughters, Rosamund (Michelle Mao) and Posy (Isabella Wei). There’s more to Sophie’s family than meets the eye, so Swooon is breaking down all of the most important details you need to know about the Penwoods. We’ll be referencing author Julia Quinn’s An Offer from a Gentleman, so beware of book spoilers! Let’s get into it.

Lady Araminta Gun

Liam Daniel / Netflix

Araminta is absolutely ruthless, and she’ll do anything to secure her place at the top of the social ladder. When she marries Lord Penwood during Sophie’s childhood, Araminta is a widow with two daughters. When Araminta discovers that her new husband has a ward (more on that below), she’s totally blindsided. She takes an immediate dislike to Sophie, and when Lord Penwood dies, she forces Sophie — who has essentially been raised as Penwood’s daughter — into being a maid. Araminta gives Sophie grueling tasks, putting an entire staff’s worth of duties on Sophie’s shoulders.

Season 4 picks up with Araminta trying to secure her daughters husbands, with both Rosamund and Posy making their society debut. Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell says that their mother has raised them to be perfect debutantes. One of her daughters can do no wrong in Araminta’s eyes, while the other is subject to Araminta’s constant ridicule.

Rosamund Li

Liam Daniel / Netflix

Rosamund Li is the aforementioned “perfect” daughter. The elder sister takes after her mother in pretty much every way because she’s desperate for Araminta’s approval. Rosamund, vain and beautiful, is cruel to Sophie and never fails to remind her of her station. She doesn’t treat Posy much better. In Season 4, Rosamund is determined to acquire the catch of the season, Benedict.

Posy Li

Liam Daniel / Netflix

Posy is the kindest to Sophie and treats her more like a sister, though she rarely stands up to her mother and Rosamund. Araminta doesn’t have much hope for Posy’s debut, thinking her far too chatty and inelegant. In the book, the shy Posy is described as chubby, and it’s clear to Benedict that Araminta prefers Rosamund because she fits the beauty standard.

“While Rosamund has become her mother’s mini-me — a marriage mart pro chess player — Posy is dreamy and often unserious, much to her mother’s disapproval,” showrunner Jess Brownell told Tudum. “Araminta and Rosamund are so focused on their own goals that, frankly, the Bridgertons don’t register much for them at first, beyond the fact that Benedict proves to be quite the catch this season.”

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Lord Richard Gun, Earl of Penwood

Lord Penwood, whose casting has yet to be confirmed, takes Sophie in after she’s left on his doorstep as a toddler. Richard puts two and two together, discerning that Sophie is his illegitimate daughter from an affair he had with one of his maids. Sophie’s mother died in childbirth, leaving Sophie to be raised by her grandmother for a few years. Richard has a strict sense of duty, so he takes Sophie in as his ward. Though he never acknowledges her as his daughter, he treats Sophie like one more or less, allowing her to be educated like a young lady of the ton.

When he marries Araminta, Richard doesn’t stop his new wife from treating Sophie with contempt. (Araminta figures out that she’s Richard’s daughter from the get-go.) The earl dies of natural causes during Sophie’s childhood, leaving Sophie under Araminta’s “care.” In the aftermath, Sophie can’t believe that her father didn’t leave her anything in his will… or did he?

Bridgerton, Season 4, Part 1 Premiere, Thursday, January 29, 2026

Bridgerton, Season 4, Part 2 Premiere, Thursday, February 26, 2026