‘Bridgerton’: Who Is the New Lady Whistledown? 3 Theories About the New Writer

Bridgerton Season 4 may be over, but one mystery looms large over the latest chapter as a new Lady Whistledown was introduced to the Ton via a gossip sheet.

So, who is behind the pen? As viewers will recall, Penelope Bridgerton (Nicola Coughlan), formerly Featherington, had helmed the scandal sheet under the fake name, running the buzzy publication since Season 1’s finale reveal of her identity. But as Penelope faced her own romance in Season 3, she was pressured to unveil her identity publicly, making her secretive job a widely known fact.

In Season 4, Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) oversaw Penelope’s pen, urging her to deliver good gossip, but the task proved more challenging than either had anticipated, due in part to the fact that people knew they were being watched for potential scandal. Penelope also faced backlash from the Ton for the things she had written, prompting her to retire from the role moving forward.

What viewers and the Ton hadn’t considered was that someone would fill the gap in the market, taking up the moniker for themself. But who could it possibly be? We’re breaking down our three biggest theories below.

Lady Mondrich

Liam Daniel / Netflix

Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi) has made quite a journey since she was merely the wife of a boxer in Season 1; now, she and her husband, Will (Martins Imhangbe), are operating among the high-class members of the Ton after a surprise inheritance in Season 3. Along the way, Alice used Lady Whistledown’s writing to keep up with the latest news and information about her fellow society members, and she knows it’s a useful tool. And as a new Lady in Waiting to the Queen, Alice has a vested interest in keeping Charlotte entertained, meaning Lady Whistledown’s ongoing publication would be beneficial for all.

Alice displayed her observational skills in Season 4’s fifth installment when she overheard Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie (Yerin Ha) wrapped up in an intense and romantic conversation, hinting that she’s not above eavesdropping. And by the end of Season 4, Alice is bold enough to declare that Queen Charlotte is missing all of the good gossip by overlooking other classes. Needless to say, it feels like Alice has a perfect storm of ingredients that could lend itself to Lady Whistledown, but that doesn’t mean she’s the only potential avenue.

Eloise Bridgerton

Liam Daniel / Netflix

Sure, Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) may know firsthand how challenging the role of Lady Whistledown could be, but she’s been accused of controlling the pen before, making her a perfect potential plot twist. If everyone already thinks she could never be Lady Whistledown after she wasn’t the original writer, what better twist or cover would it be for her to step into the role now?

As an avid reader, Eloise certainly knows the tone of Lady Whistledown, and after declaring she’s “on the shelf” this season, it means there is more opportunity for her to make observations on the sidelines at balls. Eloise also seemed to take a vested interest in Posy’s (Isabella Wei) love life, which is something new for her, but relevant to Lady Whistledown. Could she be the one behind the column now? We’re eager to find out.

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A Network of Whistledowns

Our third theory is that more than one person is running Lady Whistledown’s column now, making way for a network of contributors who then collect their ideas and have one person write them down. While we still feel strongly that Alice and Eloise are the most likely candidates, what if they were working together, and perhaps even got Eloise’s little sister, Hyacinth (Florence Hunt), in on the operation? It’s a concept we’d be willing to accept, and one that would make the most sense, leaving the Ton in the dark regarding who the publisher is by making them think there’s only one person to look out for.

What do you think? Let us know your Lady Whistledown theories in the comments section below, and stay tuned to see how the series addresses the plot when Season 5 arrives on Netflix.

Bridgerton, Seasons 1-4, Streaming now, Netflix