1×01 – Diamond of the First Water
| written by: Chris Van Dusen | air date: December 25, 2020 |
In 1813, Daphne Bridgerton makes her debut into the London social season. Queen Charlotte gives her high praise over other debutantes, including the three Featherington sisters. A new scandal sheet written by the mysterious Lady Whistledown circulates London. Marina Thompson, Lord Featherington’s distant cousin, comes to stay for the season under the supervision of Lady Featherington. Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, returns to London after the death of his father; Lady Danbury coaxes him into joining the season. Anthony drives away many potential suitors for Daphne, except the detestable Lord Berbrooke. Marina picks up the slack, ittiating the Queen and Lady Featherington. After breaking up with his mistress, Siena Rosso, Anthony promises Daphne to Berbrooke, dismaying her. Lady Featherington deduces that Marina is pregnant. After Berbrooke accosts Daphne, and she hits him to protect herself, Simon arrives, and suggests they pretend to court in a mutually beneficial arrangement; Daphne agrees, attracting the attention of the ton.
1×02 – Shock and Delight
| written by: Janet Lin | air date: December 25, 2020 |
Flashbacks reveal Simon’s tragic childhood. After his mother died in childbirth, Simon was left under the control of his cruel father, who refused to accept that his only son was less than perfect. Lady Danbury came to his aid, assisting him in managing his stammer and supervising his education. On his father’s deathbed, Simon vows he will never sire an heir in order to spite his father. In the present, the Queen grows more frustrated with Lady Whistledown’s writings. Eloise Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington are confused as to how one becomes with child. Marina remains confined to her room, but shares with Penelope that her child was conceived in love with a man named Sir George Crane, who is fighting in Spain. Simon and Daphne’s ruse works perfectly, but Anthony is upset. When Simon tells Anthony what Lord Berbrooke tried to do to Daphne, Anthony cancels his offer with Lord Berbrooke. Simon and Lord Berbrooke fight over Daphne’s honor. Lord Berbrooke acquires a special license for his marriage to Daphne and threatens to ruin her name, but Lady Bridgerton intervenes and is able to get Lady Whistledown to reveal a scandal that forces Berbrooke to withdraw from London.
1×03 – Art of the Swoon
| written by: Leila Cohan-Miccio | air date: December 25, 2020 |
Simon and Daphne become closer, leading to Daphne turning down multiple proposals. Simon meets Siena, who invites him to see her after her next performance. Lady Featherington tries to match Marina again, but she waits for George to write back. Determined to prove that she is still the true ruler of London society, the Queen schemes to match Daphne with her nephew, the handsome and kind Prince Friedrich of Prussia. Lady Danbury tells Simon that he needs to propose to Daphne or step aside to make way for the superior match. Simon reluctantly calls off the ruse with Daphne. Viscount Benedict Bridgerton suspects Eloise of being Lady Whistledown. Anthony tries to take up with Siena again but she turns him down. George writes to Marina claiming that there was nothing between them, but unbeknownst to Marina, the letter was faked by Lady Featherington. Lady Bridgerton pushes Anthony to think about a match for himself. Simon decides to leave London ahead of schedule as a heartbroken Daphne embraces Prince Friedrich’s attentions.
1×04 – An Affair of Honor
| written by: Abby McDonald | air date: December 25, 2020 |
Prince Friedrich invites Daphne to the palace and gifts her a beautiful necklace. Marina is presented to older suitors in want of heirs in an effort to marry her quickly. Eloise decides she will find out Lady Whistledown’s identity. Daphne attends a boxing match with Prince Friedrich. Marina is set up with an older suitor and is saved by Colin. At a sumptuous fete, Prince Friedrich prepares to propose but an undecided Daphne flees to the garden. Simon approaches her to say goodbye and apologize. Daphne, upset, runs into a hedge maze, followed shortly by Simon, and the two kiss passionately. Anthony interrupts and demands that Simon marry Daphne. Simon refuses and Anthony challenges him to a duel at dawn. Penelope is crushed by Colin’s attention to Marina which causes a fight with Eloise. Anthony plans to use the duel to free himself from society and be with Siena. Lady Featherington discovers the extent of her husband’s gambling debts. Daphne realizes that Cressida Cowper, her rival for Prince Friedrich’s affections, witnessed what happened in the garden and races to stop the duel. Simon tells her that the reason he cannot marry her is because he cannot provide her with children. Weighing her options, Daphne firmly declares they will marry anyway.
1×05 – The Duke and I
| written by: Joy C Mitchell | air date: December 25, 2020 |
Daphne and Simon petition the Archbishop of Canterbury for an expedited marriage license, but he refuses at the behest of the Queen. Prince Friedrich visits Daphne for closure. Anthony promises to take care of Siena even if they cannot be together, but local dressmaker Genevieve Delacroix claims she has left town. Money issues boil up at the Featherington home. Penelope becomes ever more jealous of Colin’s attention to Marina. Cressida and Daphne confront each other. Benedict attends a party at the invitation of Sir Henry Granville. Lady Featherington intends for Marina to marry Lord Rutledge and orders her to cut out Colin. Simon and Daphne appeal to the Queen to allow for an early wedding; faced with losing her beloved King George III to his increasing dementia, the Queen is moved by Simon’s impassioned plea. Simon and Daphne are married in a simple church ceremony. At the wedding reception, Marina gets a proposal from Colin, but with the request of a long engagement. The Queen takes interest in Eloise’s investigation into the identity of Lady Whistledown. Lady Bridgerton and Daphne have a brief conversation about sex which leaves her with more questions than answers. Simon and Daphne leave for Clyvedon, but stay at an inn to avoid the journey after dusk. At the inn, Daphne finally confronts Simon over his avoidance of her, and the pair realize that they are in fact madly in love and consummate their marriage.
1×06 – Swish
| written by: Sarah Dollard | air date: December 25, 2020 |
Simon and Daphne as the Duke and the new Duchess arrive at Clyvedon for their honeymoon and spend much time together, romantically and sexually. Daphne has difficulty building a relationship with the housekeeper Mrs. Colson. Colin announces his engagement to Marina, to his family’s dismay. Daphne and Simon mingle with the villagers. Penelope tries to ruin the engagement by confiding in Colin that Marina is in love with another man. Colin suggests he and Marina marry sooner than their families desire by traveling to Scotland. Simon turns his attention to the books after hearing that his tenants’ rent has increased. Daphne is told that she offended the village by not being able to pick a winning pig at the fair. Mrs. Colson reveals more about Simon’s upbringing to Daphne. Penelope discovers that George’s letter was faked, but Marina chooses to marry Colin anyway, intending to move on from George. Daphne, with the help of her lady’s maid, realizes that Simon can have children, but does not want to. She assaults him in order to get pregnant, and confronts him afterwards, blaming him for being ambiguous about his inability. Lady Whistledown publishes Marina’s secret, shocking Colin.
1×07 – Oceans Apart
| written by: Jay Ross & Abby McDonald | air date: December 25, 2020 |
Simon and Daphne’s dispute continues and Daphne decides to return to London after Lady Whistledown’s latest publication surfaces. Eloise prepares for her debut and continues to try to uncover Lady Whistledown in order to convince her to restore the Featherington name. Daphne arranges a chaperoned meeting for Colin and Marina. Simon decides to live separate lives if Daphne is not with child. The Queen is impatient with Eloise’s progress in uncovering Lady Whistledown. The Queen throws the Featheringtons out of her luncheon because of Marina’s scandal. Lady Danbury invites Daphne to a lively party with the married women of the ton, where Daphne, deciding to help Marina, tries to locate Sir George. To settle his debts, Lord Featherington approaches Will to convince him to throw his next fight; Will considers it. Anthony and Simon come to blows. Daphne discovers why Simon does not want to have children. Eloise realizes that Genevieve is the most likely person to be Lady Whistledown. Marina attempts to end her pregnancy and faints. At the opera Daphne begins menstruating, is therefore not pregnant, and cries in her mother’s arms with Simon overhearing.
1×08 – After the Rain
| written by: Chris Van Dusen | air date: December 25, 2020 |
George’s brother, Sir Phillip Crane, arrives with news that George died in battle. An unfinished letter from George reveals that he did love Marina and intended to return for her and their child. Phillip offers to marry Marina himself, but she turns him down. Eloise confronts Genevieve and, believing her to be Lady Whistledown, tries to convince her to write in the Featheringtons’ favor. Daphne finds the letters Simon wrote to his father as a child and Lady Danbury fills in the blanks about Simon’s childhood. Daphne begins to make amends with Simon, who is reconsidering what he wants after spending time with Daphne’s younger siblings. Anthony reunites with Siena and invites her to Daphne and Simon’s ball, but Siena tells Anthony to move on. Will throws the fight and receives his winnings from Archibald, who is murdered by his “associates”. Marina realizes that she is still pregnant and after receiving insight from Lady Featherington, departs London to marry Phillip. Before Penelope can profess her love for him, Colin announces he is leaving for his tour of the world. The Queen sends her agents to capture Lady Whistledown, but Eloise is able to tip her off. A downpour interrupts Simon and Daphne’s ball, but the couple reconcile, leading Lady Whistledown to declare it the best ball of the season. Anthony announces that he will find a wife without love. Eloise realizes that Genevieve is not Lady Whistledown, who is revealed only to the audience to be Penelope. Later, Daphne and Simon have their first child, a son.
