In the Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 premiere, we had Lady Danbury asking the Queen permission to leave her side in order to visit her ancestral home. While the queen initially declined, Lady Danbury decided to stay when Charlotte broke down in tears about her fear of being left alone when King George dies.
However, her will to leave doesn’t change and she quietly begins to take a step back from society. Like every year, she lets Violet Bridgerton host the first ball of the season. Furthermore, in order to engage Her Majesty’s attention elsewhere, she has Mrs. Mordrich appointed as her new Lady-in-waiting, an effort she certainly succeeds in.
But the real shocker comes when Queen Charlotte allows Lady Danbury to leave after accepting Penelope Bridgerton’s appeal to step down as Lady Whistledown. Not only does it allow Penelope to put her pen down, but it also grants Lady Danbury the wish to see her childhood home, which she has not visited since she was four.
How does Lady Whistledown’s Appeal Help Lady Danbury?
In Episode 5 of Bridgerton Season 4, Penelope has been asked to appear before the Queen. Her Majesty has a problem with the latest Whistledown column, which, unlike before, does not take names anymore.
While explaining her reasoning, Penelope states that she is no longer a wallflower. Since she has come out in public, it is difficult to report true and fair gossip. However, the queen rejects her appeal. But Penelope finds another way to ask the queen.
The next time she enters Queen Charlotte’s court, in Episode 6, she chooses to appeal to her emotions rather than help her see the rationale of her decision. She states:
The truth is, I do not know. Now that I am known publicly, I am avoided like the plague by anyone with any real gossip. Because for everyone in the ton, Whistledown functions just as this palace does for you. It keeps them trapped, watched, scrutinized. I’m certain for you, Whistledown is one of your only ways of living in the outside world. But knowing what it feels like to be so confined, would it not be pleasant to give society a reprieve? To allow them to simply live their lives the way they wish, without fear.
Well, the Queen is moved by the speech and understands the error of her ways in trying to control the ton for her mere amusement. Not only does she allow Penelope to put down her pen, but she also lets Lady Danbury leave, with a quiet knowing look that moves both friends to tears.
Why Does Penelope Gives Up Being Lady Whistledown?
Colin and Penelope in a still from the show | Credits: Netflix
As Penelope explains to the Queen, she is no longer an outsider to the ton; instead, she now belongs to one of the most influential families in society. Given the rise in her stature, it wouldn’t suit her to write the same way as she did before. Now, she has to use her pen more responsibly and with care to not hurt her family.
While she is proud of everything she has managed to accomplish, she is no longer her old self: the ignored, neglected, and ugly duckling of the family. She has found love, is a wife and a mother, and is finally confident in herself. So to continue on her old path makes little sense, given its newfound constraints and challenges.
Penelope explains in Episode 6 how she wants to begin a new chapter. So during Cressida’s first ball as the new Lady Penwood, she publishes her final issue. In her final issue, she writes of how fond she has been of gossip all her life and of the people she has written about. Yet, everything has its course, and she declares that she is resting her pen for good while thanking her readers for giving her a chance.
In the last episode, we see her working on her novel. However, Colin brings her a new issue of Whistledown, written by a new secret author. It seems like Penelope might have put down her pen as Lady Whistledown, but the author’s work is not done.
AspectDetailsPlatformNetflixSeasons4 (2020-present; S4 Benedict’s story)Main CastLuke Thompson (Benedict S4), Phoebe Dynevor (Daphne), Regé-Jean Page (Simon S1), Jonathan Bailey (Anthony), Simone Ashley (Kate), Nicola Coughlan (Penelope), Claudia Jessie (Eloise)CreatorChris Van Dusen; Shonda Rhimes exec producerPlotEach season spotlights one sibling’s romance amid high society intrigueEpisodes8 per season
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Bridgerton Season 4 is now available for streaming on Netflix.
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