Netflix Bridgerton Season 3 Poster Hides Easter Egg

Bridgerton Season 3 managed to sneak in a book series Easter egg when the new poster came out. The Netflix favorite is coming back on May 16. To commemorate the big day, Bridgerton decided to put Penelope Featherington into the spotlight. However, book fans noticed a sly nod to the source novel Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. (Credit to Nic and Newts for posting about it.) On the cover to the book, there's a gold mirror on top of a lace bedspread. Netflix used a very similar mirror in their image with Nicola Coughlan peering back at fans. It's a fun way for fans who know about the events of the novel to get excited. But, the small extra doesn't spoil anything for the TV-only fans. Check it out for yourself down below.

Now, the main source of conversation after the teaser trailer premiered was the fact that Season 3 will be split into two parts. For those wondering, Part 1 hits Netflix on May 16 and Part 2 debuts on June 13. That's a little bit of a wait for the catharsis that comes in the back half of these seasons. Of course, the Bridgerton fandom has been waiting ages for another story in the main timeline of this franchise. Queen Charlotte was very well-received. But, when it comes to the Bridgertons, that cliffhanger has been dangling for far too long. Luckily, it's only a few months now.

Netflix appears to have taken inspiration from the original cover of Romancing Mister Bridgerton for this poster! https://t.co/BdqaIItsPT pic.twitter.com/leTfjQVn6O

— Nic and Newts (@NicandNewts) December 25, 2023

Bridgerton Season 3 Mixes It Up

At the end of season two, many Bridgerton fans were wondering if the Netflix series was going to mess with the order of Julia Quinn's novels. The short answer that question is: only a little bit. Yes, Penelope and Colin's story is supposed to take place later in the series. But, because of all the time viewers have spent with Nicola Coughlan's character, it made some sense to give her a moment to really shine. Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell addressed this concern a while ago.

"I really feel like it's Colin and Penelope's time. Because we've been watching both of these actors on our screens since Season 1, we've already invested in them a little bit. We know who they are as people," Brownell told fans in 2022. "I feel like, especially in the last season, there are these moments of tension between them where it's like, Colin walks up to the line of almost realizing that Penelope has feelings for him but doesn't quite get there. Instead of treading water on that dynamic, we wanted to push it into their season. It really felt like the perfect moment to tee it up."

What's Coming In Bridgerton Season 3?

Netflix has a nice synopsis for all the drama coming this spring: "Penelope enters Season 3 finally ready to give up her longtime crush on Colin. However, that doesn't mean she's done with love. Instead, Penelope has decided it's time to take a husband — and preferably one who will give her the freedom to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from the prying eyes of her mother and sisters."

"Lacking in confidence, Penelope's attempts on the marriage mart fail spectacularly. Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels with a new look and a serious sense of swagger. But he's disheartened to realize that Penelope, the one person who always appreciated him as he was, is giving him the cold shoulder. Eager to win back her friendship, Colin offers to mentor Penelope in the ways of confidence to help her find a husband this season. But when his lessons start working a little too well, Colin must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly. Complicating matters for Penelope is her rift with Eloise, who has found a new friend in a very unlikely place, while Penelope's growing presence in the ton makes it all the more difficult to keep her Lady Whistledown alter ego a secret."

Did you catch this nod in the new Bridgerton poster? Let us know down in the comments!