Francesca had her fair share of suitors in Bridgerton season 3’s part 1, but John Stirling jumped out because of how much she seemingly liked him – however, their story can easily become one of the most unexpectedly heart-wrenching were Bridgerton to follow the book. Unusually meeting in Bridgerton season 3, episode 3, “Forces of Nature” through his and Francesca’s similar need to be out of the stuffy ballroom, John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin, and Francesca were only formally introduced in Bridgerton season 3, episode 4, “Old Friends.” Their immediate bond was impossible to ignore, despite Violet believing it happened oddly.

While Queen Charlotte pushed her “sparkler” Francesca toward Lord Samadani, their evident differences about what they wanted out of marriage soon highlighted how unsuited they were. Although Queen Charlotte was outraged by Francesca leaving instead of accepting Samadani’s offer of lemonade, Francesca was barely interested in the affront her refusal caused, because she knew that not only she and John both appreciated silence but also music, making him one of the few new Bridgerton season 3 characters with whom she wanted to spend her time. However, no matter how close Francesca and John seemed, their future will likely hold tragedy.

Who Is John Stirling? Bridgerton Season 3’s New Character Explained

John’s Quiet Demeanor That Appeals To Francesca Is Also His Key Feature In The Book

John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin was presented as a very reserved ton member in Bridgerton season 3, episode 4 after calling on Francesca despite not being formally introduced before. Although the faux pas was greatly noticed by Violet, also shocked by John and Francesca sitting together in silence instead of trying to get to know one another, it didn’t bother Francesca, who already cultivated some kind of inner joke with John because of their mutual appreciation of calm and silence. John and Francesca’s positive reactions to their unusual behavior highlight even more how well-paired they could be.

Although mentioned as Francesca’s husband in previous Bridgerton books, John is first seen through his cousin Michael’s eyes in When He Was Wicked’s beginning, Francesca’s Bridgerton book spanning multiple timelines: when she had met John, just before their second wedding anniversary, and six years after their first meeting, when Francesca started to consider getting remarried. Eighth Earl of Kilmartin, John had grown up with his cousin Michael at Kilmartin in Scotland, not having the chance to serve in the Napoleonic Wars like Michael because he was the earl. The two cousins were more like brothers, having been raised together.

The vastness of John’s fortune as a consequence of his title is only presented by Michael in When He Was Wicked. Michael detailed how as Earl of Kilmartin there were plenty of properties named Kilmartin House in Edinburgh and London, the original Kilmartin in Scotland, and plenty of other smaller abbeys or cottages in between the main residences in Scotland and London. With the earldom came a position in the House of Lords, making John a very busy and responsible character in When He Was Wicked, which could be surely reflected in the series were Bridgerton season 6 to tell Francesca’s story.

Francesca & John Stirling Do Get Married In The Bridgerton Books

When He Was Wicked Details Their Love Match & Brief But Happy Marriage

Francesca and John are happily married by When He Was Wicked’s beginning, discussing how they might celebrate their upcoming second wedding anniversary in the presence of John’s cousin, Michael. Indeed, previous Bridgerton books before the sixth mention how Francesca and John had known very quickly about their feelings for one another. However, When He Was Wicked specifies how Francesca had only debuted into society two weeks before her engagement to John Stirling, making theirs a love match and a relatively quick courting as well, as the couple were swiftly married and moved away from the ton to Scotland.

John’s happy relationship with Francesca can briefly be seen in their knowledge of each other’s wishes, along with their discussions about all matters, even John’s parliamentary engagements. Moreover, Francesca’s feelings for John can also be seen in her letters to her sisters in When He Was Wicked, which detailed how much she loved him, to the point of feeling like she might have died without him, which proved particularly cruel considering John’s fate not even two years into his marriage with Francesca.

John Stirling’s Death Is One Of The Biggest Bridgerton Tragedies

John Suddenly Dies Less Than Two Years After Marrying Francesca

 

Francesca is the only Bridgerton sibling who remarries, and that is brought forth by one of the biggest tragedies befalling the Bridgertons. John Stirling, in fact, dies after almost two years of marriage to Francesca of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, although John’s cause of death is only listed in the author’s note at the end of When He Was Wicked. Sadly, Francesca only knows that John has a headache and plans to lie down before a meeting with another House of Lords member, only to find him dead by the time she returns from her walk around Mayfair with Michael.

John’s death permeates every part of When He Was Wicked, albeit dying in the book’s early chapters, as both Michael and Francesca continue to mourn him, despite quickly falling for one another. Having John as part of their shared history initially puts off Michael and Francesca’s romance, but they eventually learn to remember him and move on with their life. This, coupled with John’s death happening almost two years after his marriage to Francesca, makes it more likely for his death to happen at the beginning of Francesca’s Bridgerton season, which could be season 6 if Bridgerton follows the books.

Bridgerton season 3 showing Francesca smitten with John and him reciprocating despite their odd way of communicating makes their wedding all the more likely to happen before the end of season 3. Were this to happen, their marriage timeline would perfectly align with Bridgerton season 6, which could easily focus on Francesca, as her bigger role in season 3 would make her the next probable Bridgerton sibling to become a protagonist after Benedict and Eloise. Unlike When He Was Wicked, this could ease the sadness of John’s death by showing his and Francesca’s love in Bridgerton seasons 4 and 5.

What Happens To Francesca After John Stirling’s Death

Francesca Learns To Live With Her Grief & Finds Love Again With Michael Stirling

John’s death unsettles both Francesca and his cousin Michael, who had feelings for Francesca since he met her but never considered pursuing her because he still saw her as John’s wife, even four years after his death. Right after John’s death, Francesca also has a miscarriage, making that moment one of the saddest of her story. Having become the ninth Earl of Kilmartin, Michael runs away to India as a way to avoid his feelings for Francesca and his grief for John, making Francesca the handler of the Kilmartin estate for four years after John’s death.

Michael’s return to England coincides with Francesca’s decision to remarry so that she could have a baby, making their pairing eventually work because of their timing. When He Was Wicked thus works as a romance because Francesca and Michael unavoidably fall for one another and as a story about dealing with grief. After all, Francesca needs to come to terms with it if she wants to marry someone else to have a baby, and Michael must do the same if he wants to find happiness after longing for Francesca for so long, making their pairing one of Bridgerton’s angstiest.