Bridgerton Season 2 Images Promise Drama and Sizzling Chemistry

Exciting news, Bridgerton fans. Lady Whistledown (or rather, Netflix) has released a brand new look at the upcoming second season. The images include a look at returning faves — Penelope! Eloise — as well as a sizzling peek at this season’s central romance.

Based on Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton book series, the Netflix adaptation was an unexpected surprise for the streaming giant. Until being dethroned by Squid Game in late 2021, Bridgerton held the record for the highest-viewed series on the service. With the second season on the horizon, anticipation has never been higher, especially when it comes to the season’s central romance.

In typical romance novel structure, each season is expected to focus mainly on the love life of one of the Bridgerton siblings, with the others playing supporting, though not inconsequential roles. The second season will follow the romance of Viscount Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley). A short clip released of the two of them back in September put their crackling banter on full display, and the chemistry really comes through in still images as well.

Fans of Bridgerton might remember that Anthony was rather the meddlesome older brother when it came to his sister Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) being courted by his old friend Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page). While Simon is not set to appear in the second season, it looks like Daphne is on hand to keep her eldest brother in line

Joining the cast this season is Simone Ashley, as Kate Sharma. Kate is a fierce woman who suffers absolutely no fools, Viscount or otherwise.

Kate first appears on Anthony’s radar when she tries to herd him away from her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran), whom he identifies as an ideal candidate for his Viscontess, though he doesn’t feel anything for her personally. Two overprotective older siblings? A match made in heaven.

Though the season is largely about Kate and Anthony, that’s not to say last season’s players fall completely by the wayside. Fan favorites Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) are back as well. At the end of the last season, Eloise thought she had identified the mysterious Lady Whistledown, only for it to be revealed later that it was Penelope all along. As Eloise doesn’t learn this until the fourth book in the series, it’s anyone’s guess where the investigation will lead this time.

The rest of the Featherington family makes their return this season, led by matriarch Portia (Polly Walker). Though their family had its share of drama last season, the fierce Portia does not appear deterred in the slightest when it comes to making good matches for her three daughters.

Whatever her mother’s plans for her, Penelope only has eyes for Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) who returns this season, back from his adventures abroad and reconnecting with his brothers Anthony and Benedict (Luke Thompson) with some casual backyard fencing.

And of course, we are treated to our first look at the woman who oversees it all: Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), seen in this first-look image reading Lady Whistledown’s gossip column.