Romance is in the air! The popular historical drama Bridgerton is back on Netflix with its fourth season. This season focuses on Benedict, the second Bridgerton brother, as he falls in love with Sophie Baek, who is now part of the Bridgerton family. Season 4 is visually stunning and full of exciting chemistry between Benedict and Sophie. Plus, viewers get to see Anthony and Kate (Viscount and Viscountess Bridgerton) and Colin and Penelope enjoying their happily-married lives.
Let’s talk about Daphne and Simon, the couple that kicked off the whole Bridgerton story. We saw Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) briefly in Season 2, and while Phoebe’s open to coming back, things are different for Simon. Regé-Jean Page, who played the Duke of Hastings, was only part of Season 1, and unfortunately, it looks like that’s still the case. Here’s the scoop on where they are during Season 4, and why we won’t be seeing Regé-Jean reprise his role.
The Duke and Duchess of Hastings’ Presence in ‘Bridgerton’ After Season 1, Explained
Netflix
Season 1 of Bridgerton, focusing on Daphne and Simon’s relationship, paved the way for the romances we see in later seasons. After resolving their issues, the Duke and Duchess mostly retreat to their country home, Clyvedon Castle. The season ends with Daphne giving birth to their son, August – a sweet tribute to Violet Bridgerton’s tradition of naming her children alphabetically.
Throughout Season 2, Daphne frequently appears with the Bridgerton family, but without her husband, Simon. She offers Anthony advice about his upcoming wedding to Edwina Sharma, all while developing feelings for Kate. Daphne also makes an appearance at Eloise’s debut into society, jokingly telling people she left her husband and baby at home. She spends time with the family at their country estate, Aubrey Hall, and is present for Anthony and Edwina’s wedding. Throughout the season, she even shares conversations with Violet about her own marriage.
Daphne is noticeably absent from several important events throughout the series. She doesn’t appear at Colin and Penelope’s wedding, nor Benedict and Sophie’s, and surprisingly, she also misses the funeral of Francesca’s husband, Lord Stirling. Her lack of attendance at these key moments is quite puzzling.
It seems Simon and Daphne are now focused on their family life at Clyvedon. As Julia Quinn’s books show, they eventually have five children. Plus, each season of the show naturally shifts focus away from couples we’ve already seen. Still, it would be nice to see at least a little bit of what Daphne and Simon are up to.
Regé-Jean Page’s Reason for Not Returning to ‘Bridgerton’
Netflix
Actually, Page only signed a contract for a single season. He found this short commitment attractive, as he explained to Variety:
The story will unfold over a single season, with a clear start, middle, and finish – we’re looking at about a year for the whole arc. I liked that idea because it felt like a contained, limited series. It allows me to come in, make my contribution, and then the story continues with the Bridgerton family.
There’s also a very understandable reason why Regé-Jean Page might not be returning to the show. When he was originally cast as Simon, a social media campaign called #NotMyDuke, fueled by racism, started circulating. He also faced criticism for leaving the series. While Page hasn’t spoken publicly about his own experiences with racism, he previously showed solidarity with the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power when they were targeted with racist abuse. He shared on Instagram, “I can’t believe we went through a time where production teams were okay with standing by and letting us deal with racist abuse from ‘fans’ on our own. It’s shocking.”
Phoebe Dynevor has expressed interest in returning to Bridgerton. According to showrunner Jess Brownell, the roles of the Duke and Duchess of Hastings won’t be recast, and she’s hopeful they’ll be able to include them in future seasons. She shared this with Variety magazine.
We don’t plan to replace the actors who played those roles. It wouldn’t feel respectful to the incredible work Regé and Phoebe did in the first season and the characters they created. While we’d love to have them return someday, we want to ensure it’s for a substantial storyline. A brief appearance, like a single line at a funeral, wouldn’t feel satisfying for several reasons. We see television as a medium where things aren’t always explicitly shown – we can imply their presence. Ultimately, we hope to find a way to bring everyone back together in the future when the time is right.
It’s still uncertain if Simon and Daphne will come back, but everyone in high society misses them dearly.
5 Questions
Found an error? Send it info@movieweb.com so it can be corrected.
Read More
- Five Nights At Freddy’s 2 Review: The Video Game Movie Sequel Limbos Under The Low Bar Set By The First Film
- ‘And Then The Chesty One Comes In.’ SNL’s Cut For Time Sketch Hilariously Reimagined Sydney Sweeney And Zendaya’s Euphoria
- Black Phone 2 Ending & Grabber’s Fate Explained
- Прогноз криптовалюты BNB: прогнозы цены BNB
- George Clooney Has The Best Reaction To The Viral Louvre Heist Following Ocean’s Eleven Comparison
- Прогноз криптовалюты USD1: прогнозы цены USD1
- The Western That Launched Kevin Costner’s Career Is Finally Streaming For Free
- Jonathan Majors’ Latest Response To Questions About Kang’s MCU Return Is Way More Cryptic Than I’d Expect
- 10 Times Lex Luthor Gained Powers
- CBS Effectively Explains Why Tracker Got Rid Of Bobby & Velma
2026-03-04 00:35