Spoiler alert for season 4 of Bridgerton!
After Penelope Bridgerton lays down her pen in the finale of season 4 of Bridgerton, we are led to believe it’s the end of Lady Whistledown. However, in the last few moments of the episode, a new narration begins with the famous opener: “Dearest Gentle Reader…”
What does Lady Whistledown’s narrator say?
In the last few moments of the season 4 finale, Dame Julie Andrews’s voice makes a shocking return; however, her voice changes. Her accent transforms from upper-class elegant to a more raspy version with a slight cockney or regional accent and an altered tone.
“Dearest Gentle Reader, are you perhaps feeling a little shock? You thought I was gone for good…but far too much transpires for this author to remain silent. And so we are reunited. IT is assuredly a reunion rooted in care and love, though this time with a very different author. But for now, my new identity shall remain a secret. Dear reader, we are going to have so much fun.”
We hear the voiceover as Penelope is writing and assume, as Colin does, that she has returned to her old employment.
“I thought you were done with Whistledown,” Colin, played by Luke Newton, says as he enters with a Whistledown paper in tow.
Penelope, played by Nicola Coughlan, responds, “I am. I am working on my novel.”
“Then who in the devil wrote this?” he asks as she looks at the paper in shock and surprise.
Who is the next Lady Whistledown?
There are numerous theories on who the next Whistledown could be. Here are some of our favourites.
Hyacinth Bridgerton
The youngest Bridgerton daughter has long been fascinated with society and eager to take her place in it. In season 4, she sneaks into a ball once on her own and a second time with Eloise, disguised as a maid. While dressed as a maid, she’s amazed that the ball’s hostess, Cressida Cowper, doesn’t pay her any attention.
Plus, her sister-in-law is Penelope Bridgerton, and she avidly read all her papers. So she knows how gossip is collected, and she is well-read, sharing with Sophie Baek (now Bridgerton) and Eloise what books she’s enjoying.
After John Stirling’s death, Hyacinth says to Eloise that she isn’t as excited as she once was to make her debut in society, as she’s afraid to fall in love and then lose her husband.
“If I am to one day find the right husband, I think I should like to get to know myself better first,” she says. And what better way than by studying the antics of the marriage mart when she makes her debut? Likely in the next season.
Mrs Alice Mondrich
In season 4, Alice was elevated to be Queen Charlotte’s inner circle as her latest lady-in-waiting. It was planned by Lady Danbury as a way to make it easier for Queen Charlotte to let Lady Danbury leave society.
However, Alice comes from the lower classes originally. She and her husband were elevated when a distant aunt died, and her estate was left to Alice’s son. Due to her upbringing, she retains an outsider’s view of society and is quick to comment on it. She also provides advice and insight to the Bridgertons throughout the seasons with respect to their love lives, clearly showing her interest.
This is magnified in season 4, when she is tasked with helping uncover Benedict Bridgerton’s “Lady in Silver” in the hopes of securing a marriage match for him and fulfilling the Queen’s bet with Penelope that he would marry.
She uncovers the truth that Benedict and Sophie are in love, but decides to keep their secret (without letting them know). However, she nearly bursts from keeping it to herself. She almost lets it slip to her husband while venting her frustration at having secret information. She is also instrumental is helping Sophie be a suitable match by conspiring with the Bridgertons and managing the Queen. Perhaps she decided to take her new skills to new levels and has found an outlet for the gossip she has gleaned.
Mrs Varley (with help from Portia Featherington)
Once a suspect in the early seasons of Bridgerton, Mrs Varley is suspected to be the new Whistledown. She is often the first to hear of gossip, which she happily shared with Penelope before realising that she was Whistledown.
She loves sharing stories and knows everyone in the ton. As soon as she and Portia Featherington made up at the end of season 4, they immediately started sharing stories. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that the two are working on the new papers together. Portia loved the power of Whistledown (once she was aware it was her daughter’s power and after she forgave her for sharing their family’s secrets). However, she was frustrated that Penelope was being more cautious once her identity was revealed.
Furthermore, Mrs Varley’s northern accent could account for the alteration in Whistledown’s narration.
Eloise Bridgerton
Another prior candidate for the role of Whistledown, who made it her mission to unmask the writer. She did uncover Penelope, and that led to a major breakdown in their friendship in season 3. However, this is our least favourite theory. Eloise has long been associated with Whistledown, so it seems like an easy reach. However, after being so upset that Penelope was behind it all, it would feel like a betrayal (and hypocritical) if she went behind Penelope’s back to take up the mantle.
She also seems ready to enter the marriage mart for real, saying to Hyacinth in the season finale that she sees the merit in having a husband and her own family. However, that could be setting her up to be the lead in season 5…
Catch up on the previous seasons of Bridgerton on Netflix.
