Buzz From The Ton
A Bridgerton Season 5 Theory Predicts King George’s Death
Fans are speculating about the next chapter, which arrives in 2027.
Bridgerton Season 5 will explore Francesca and Michaela’s love after loss, but a new theory suggests there will be another surprise widow in the next installment.
In the final episodes of Season 4, Francesca and her family were rocked by John’s sudden death. And while Francesca doesn’t have plans to marry again — “I have had my great love. One time is enough,” she tells Penelope — the next chapter picks up two years later, where she and Michaela will confront their feelings for each other.
Of course, Bridgerton’s central storylines often intersect with the royal happenings above, and some fans think that could be the case for Season 5, too. “I have the impression widowhood will be one of the themes of this season,” one Redditor posited, suggesting that King George could die early into the next season.
They also noted that Charlotte has been “ready” for the looming death of her husband for some time. She braced herself for the prospect in Season 4, asking her close confidante Lady Danbury: “What happens when he dies?” They acknowledged that in real life, Charlotte died before her husband, but suggested the show could alter this bit of history.
Indeed, as creator Chris Van Dusen told The Daily Express ahead of the show’s premiere in 2020, Bridgerton is “not a history lesson.” Rather, he explained, “We honored the history, of course, but we’re not beholden to it. It’s a reimagined world, and what we’re really doing is marrying history and fantasy in what I think is a really exciting way.”
Several commenters voiced their support for the theory, with one noting that showrunner Jess Brownell has actually hinted that Season 5 will include more of the royal family. In a recent episode of Netflix’s Suite 305 with Lele Pons, Brownell said that she’s “really interested” in learning more about George and Charlotte’s brood.
She specifically singled out the Prince Regent, the couple’s eldest son who would ascend the throne after his father’s death. “He was very unlikable in real life, and he had mistresses left and right. I think that’s a really interesting spinoff — maybe not about him, but we could do more with him and more with the daughters.”
Brownell also confirmed that someone from the royal family would be “more featured” in Season 5. Given the added spotlight on the bunch, George’s death would certainly be a sad but plausible storyline — and the ripple effect of Charlotte’s mourning could tie in thematically with Francesca’s own grief journey.
