Before the premiere of Bridgerton season 3, the Regency romance franchise released a spinoff series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, and now, the main series and its characters feel much different with their origins having been explored. Queen Charlotte, though a part of the Bridgerton franchise, is a spinoff series released in 2023. It starred India Amarteifio as the young version of Queen Charlotte, typically played by Golda Rosheuvel, as she marries King George and settles into her new role as queen. The series, in just one season, shed light on a variety of Bridgerton’s older characters.

In 2024, Bridgerton season 3 is being released, and notably, it is the first season to premiere following Queen Charlotte. This means that, for the first time, characters like Lady Danbury and Queen Charlotte, are being presented as they have been in previous seasons of Bridgerton, but with the extra knowledge provided by Queen Charlotte. For example, audiences now understand the complex relationship between Charlotte and George, what was wrong with King George, and the reason why Lady Danbury has no husband. However, it is not just the members of high society that got a little extra screen time.

What Happened With Brimsley In Queen Charlotte

Brimsley fell in love in Queen Charlotte

One such character that gained a bit of spotlight in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is Brimsley. Throughout Bridgerton, Brimsley has played the role of Queen Charlotte’s docile yet slightly sassy secretary. When the queen needs something, Brimsley is on it. He is her sidekick and a constant in her life. Yet in Queen Charlotte, audiences see a different side of Brimsley. In particular, the spinoff series sees Brimsley, young and in love with none other than George’s secretary, Reynolds. Their romance is a forbidden one, yet that only makes it more intriguing and exciting.

Unfortunately, Brimsley’s story does not necessarily end on a happy note.

Although Brimsley and Reynolds have a passionate and compicated whirlwind romance throughout Queen Charlotte, it comes to something of an abrupt end, as Queen Charlotte ends and Reynolds is nowhere to be found in the present day of Bridgerton. In this way, audiences are left wondering what happened to Reynolds, and more importantly, realizing that Brimsley and Reynolds do not get the happily ever after that other Bridgerton couples usually enjoy. In this way, audiences learn a lot about Brimsley, but not all of it is good.

Seeing Brimsley Hits A Lot Harder Now Than Previous Bridgerton Seasons

Brimsley’s story isn’t easily forgotten

Now that Bridgerton has returned with season 3, seeing Brimsley back in his old form feels different. He is not just the queen’s secretary, but a real character with an important backstory. Even though Brimsely only appears briefly throughout Bridgerton season 3, every moment with him feels imbued with new meaning that audiences never had in previous seasons. Knowing what Brimsley has gone through, his character automatically feels more important, even if he isn’t doing anything. And hopefully, his story will not end there, as many are still wondering: what happened to Reynolds in Bridgerton?

Brimsley is played by Sam Clemmett in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story and Hugh Sachs in Bridgerton.

In reality, Brimsley’s return to the background is symbolic in a way. Throughout Bridgerton season 3, audiences see Brimsley as Queen Charlotte’s secretary, with just a handful of lines showing little of his life and personality. By seeing Brimsley fade back into the background, audiences are perhaps seeing how his life changed once Reynolds disappeared. Perhaps, Brimsley hides a terrible sadness due to his off-screen loss of Reynolds, and viewers are simply missing a few of the pieces. Overall, Brimsley’s return to normalcy is good because he has left those difficult years, but sad because of how it all ended.

Could Reynolds Ever Return In Bridgerton’s Future?

Reynolds could return to Bridgerton, but maybe shouldn’t

After Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, one question every viewer has is whether Reynolds will ever return to Bridgerton. Though the possibility is certainly there, it is unclear whether this will actually happen. First and foremost, Queen Charlotte does not seem likely to get a second season. Shonda Rhimes recently told Variety that, in regard to Queen Charlotte, she did not want to tell a story that didn’t need telling. Therefore, Reynolds likely would not return in that respect.

And though he could appear as an older version of himself in Bridgerton, perhaps that might not be the best move.

While it would be nice to get a solid ending between Brimsley and Reynolds, it could also be true that what makes their story so bittersweet is the ambiguity of it. Audiences know that Brimsley and Reynolds had their romance, and they know it didn’t work out, and therefore, the mystery left in between does its job without needing specifics. It is sad, but inevitable. Delving into Reynolds’ tragic fate would only press on old wounds, and furthermore, would not really align with Bridgerton’s usual trend of happy endings for its characters. It’s better to leave Reynolds in the dark.

Queen Charlotte Changed Bridgerton In Other Ways Too

Queen Charlotte characters look different in Bridgerton

Brimsley isn’t the only character who appears in a different light in Bridgerton season 3. In reality, every character that appeared in Queen Charlotte seems different than they did before. For example, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, audiences get a glimpse at Violet Bridgerton as a young girl, before she became a Bridgerton. It becomes clear that Violet has always had a playful, loving soul, and therefore, it is more exciting when the prospect of romance comes her way in the form of Lady Danbury’s brother, Marcus. Overall, Bridgerton season 3 has more layers due to its Queen Charlotte connections.

Marcus Anderson is played by Daniel Francis.