Wait, why are there two Lord Penwoods in Bridgerton?! Here’s the succession explained

If you were confused by Bridgerton season four suddenly introducing another Lord Penwood after the first one died, you’re not alone. Yes, there are essentially two Lord Penwoods in the Netflix series, and here’s why.

Season four, part one introduced Lord Penwood (played by Arthur Lee) as the loving father of heroine Sophie Baek. The Earl of Penwood had an affair with a maid that resulted in Sophie, whom he raised as his “ward” and clearly adored.

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Flashbacks showed he only revealed Sophie’s existence to his new wife, Lady Araminta Gun, after they married, a decision that poisoned their relationship. Araminta resented Sophie and feared her presence would harm her own daughters’ chances on the marriage mart, making the girl’s life miserable.

So when the Earl of Penwood died without a legitimate son, the title didn’t vanish, it passed to the next male heir in the family line.

That’s where the second Lord Penwood comes in.

Season four, part two revealed that a distant cousin inherited the Penwood estate and title after Araminta failed to produce a male heir. This new Lord Penwood promptly moved into the Penwood London residence with his new wife, forcing Araminta and her daughters into rented accommodation.

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If this inheritance twist felt familiar, that’s because it’s basically the same situation that happened to the Featheringtons in season two: A distant male relative stepping in to claim a title after the main family line failed.

Netflix

In a further twist, the new Lord Penwood turns out to have married none other than disgraced socialite Cressida Cowper. After her season three storyline ended with her facing marriage to a much older man and exile to Wales, she unexpectedly makes a happy match with Penwood instead.

This outcome is a major change from Julia Quinn’s novels. In the books, Cressida marries an elderly aristocrat, Lord Twombley, who dies and leaves her nearly penniless after it emerges he wasn’t as wealthy as she believed.

So yes, there were two Lord Penwoods in Bridgerton. Sophie’s father was the first Earl of Penwood we met. The second is his cousin, who inherited the title after his death and married Cressida.

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Featured image credit: Netflix