In the Regency period, newspaper columns gave ordinary folk a glimpse at all the glitz, glamour, and scandal. #bridgerton #bridgerton spoilers #penelope featherington #colin bridgerton #lady whistledown #text post #that’s my opinion anyway #but yall go ahead and hate on Pen if you want and i’ll be here adoring her for saving Colin from being trapped in an unhealthy relationship Or perhaps Penelope doesn't mention the gathering in Whistledown's paper because she wasn't there to observe what happened. Penelope is present at all the major societal gatherings and the Whistledown column … ... Of particular note were the words of the Lady Tlaib and the Lady Ocasio-Cortez, ... Lady Whistledown. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation. However, unlike Lady Whistledown, Mrs Crackenthorpe did not use her victims’ real names. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. • 2nd Document is similar to the first, but the right columns are right-justified so that the text lines up on the edges of the document. Lady Whistledown’s Tech Column: The Exciting Affairs Of r/wallstreetbets. It’s a gem of satire, remarkable for being intended for women, and with a primary aim to educate—often through sharp observation—but with an eye for gossip too. Often, Whistledown’s column reveals intimate details about her elite subjects. Both those criterion describe Penelope, who knows more about Marina's condition than anyone. When she's not attending balls or being sheparded in front of suitors by her mother, Penelope often appears on-screen with her nose in a book. In retrospect, Penelope not only reacts this way because she's upset, but also because she knows Eloise hasn't unmasked Whistledown's true identity. “Each month, it would choose a celebrity couple—though their names were redacted, they were shown in small portraits—and profile their love lives and associated scandals. So while Eloise throws Charlotte off course, Penelope is likely fleeing the ball to drop off the next day's paper at the printing press. One gossip mainstay during the Regency era was the gorgeous, extravagant, and unhappily married Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (portrayed by Kiera Knightley in The Duchess). Penelope is devastated after hearing that her cousin Marina plans to marry Colin. Lady Whistledown shares her wonderfully entertaining … She even vocalizes her desire to push back her debut in society to continue her studies early in the season. While introducing Portia's daughters, Whistledown says, "Three misses, foisted upon the marriage market like sorrowful sows by their tasteless, tactless mama.". Her gossip column, Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, becomes a talking point for every character. Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member. Spengle’s invitation seems to be the most fervent,” Theresa DePris commented, chuckling as she brushed her fingers across the missive. Subscriber In the Regency period, newspaper columns gave ordinary folk a glimpse at all the glitz, glamour, and scandal. Get the new Insider app - now available with updated features, Visit Insider's homepage for more stories, Here's where every major character ended up on the season 1 finale of 'Bridgerton', The 50 best period piece films of all time, ranked by critics. In history, as in the new Netflix series, such a command of gossip would indeed reign supreme. he asks Penelope. Netflix The newspapers did focus on aristocrats and wealthy socialites.”. However, for two experts in the social customs of the Georgian and Regency period, a chronicler like Lady Whistledown has definite real-life precedents. Not only does that mean Whistledown is someone close enough to Marina and Colin to know this top-secret information, but it also means she doesn't want to bring shame to Colin or the other Bridgertons. While indulging in playful banter with Colin at Lady Trowbridge's ball, Penelope exposes her mischievous side. Lady Whistledown, the faceless narrator voiced by Julie Andrews, is secretly the villain of Netflix's Bridgerton. “The Prince Regent also often found himself a regular topic of the rumor-mongering press,” says Walton. Not only does Penelope smirk when Lady Cowper tells Portia that Whistledown reports "nothing but the truth" in episode one, but the youngest Featherington seems to use the column as an opportunity to back out of her debut. Your opinions, ladies?” “Mr. So when she does encourage Eloise to go, it raises questions about her true motivations. But after the writer declines to give coverage to the royal's society luncheon, Charlotte becomes determined to silence her. 110.2k Likes, 352 Comments - Bridgerton (@bridgertonnetflix) on Instagram: “Surely Lady Whistledown could write an entire column on these dimples.” You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Regé-Jean Page Will Not Return for Bridgerton S2, You'll Want to Watch This New Royal Drama, The Best Outfits from the Set of Gossip Girl, Everything We Know About the 'Gossip Girl' Reboot, Younger's 7th Season Will Be the Show's Last. The reveal in Whistledown’s column ended the engagement of Colin and Marina, which in itself should be enough of a clue that it was Penelope writing the column. Account active She’s called Lady Whistledown, and her words influence how the community thinks and feels on potential engagements and suitors. In episode eight, Eloise drags Penelope aside to share some major news: She's found Whistledown. “Besides regularly perusing rumors swirling around Napoleon Bonaparte, his siblings, and their spouses, English journalists also reported on some of the more exciting French divorce cases.”. Bridgerton, a new Netflix show, chronicles the aristocratic repercussions of an anonymous gossip column in Regency-era England. Instead— as was the custom of all scandal sheets of the time — she used pseudonyms. “They knew as much about what was happening in Paris as they did London,” she says. She usually never pressures her friend into attending events with the understanding that Eloise doesn't wish to enter society, especially when Penelope isn't attending the event herself. Colin looks surprised by her comment, calling her a "barb." One example of this is a story published by the Cumberland Pacquet and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser in 1807 that went so far as to bring to the public news of the Prince’s eating habits: '[He] is now allowed to take half a pint of wine by his physicians. More than anything, she's a young woman thrust into the marriage market before she's ready. And narrating all the dramatic events throughout Season 1 is Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews), a mysterious member of London’s high society who writes a regular column … Column size, fonts and font size are not able to be changed in any of the 3 documents. In case you missed it, the shocking final scene shows a hooded figure riding in a carriage as Julie Andrews narrates Lady Whistledown's latest gossip column. He then watches her drop off a package in the back of a pew. Historian Catherine Curzon, author of The Daughters of George III: Sisters and Princesses, says readers could closely follow the comings and goings of the upper classes in the popular “Fashionable World” newspaper columns, which were concerned with clothes, jewels and the general round of court balls and society events. Everyone reads the gossip column and quickly realizes that Lady Whistledown knows her stuff, so no one wants to cross her and everyone wants to know who she really is, especially Eloise Bridgerton. However, no one seems more frustrated by her behavior than her youngest daughter, Penelope. While this detail doesn't uncover her as Whistledown, the person behind the column is likely well-read and educated. But do you not think the boy bares a passing resemblance to Lady Trowbridge's footman?". Ad Microsoft. As Lady Whistledown would put it, this leads these writers to wonder about the Fourth Amendment and tort rights to privacy in Bridgerton. It was dark when Whistledown approached the printing press in episode eight, but the carriagemen are wearing yellow pants and green jackets — making it look like they work for the Featherington family. "It's lucky the lady produced an heir before the old earl croaked, eh?" She’s the hub of gossip and rumours. As Madame Genevieve Delacroix later points out to Eloise in episode seven, everyone in town was at the concert except for the Featheringtons. When the scandalous actions of his beautiful fiancée are recorded in Lady Whistledown's column, a concerned groom- According to historian Catherine Curzon, author of The Daughters of George III: Sisters and Princesses, Lady Whistledown bears a striking resemblance to “Mrs. He then watches her drop off a package in the back of a pew. • 2nd Document is similar to the first, but the right columns are right-justified so that the text lines up on the edges of the document. Uncovering the sordid truth about aristocratic "scandal sheets" in Regency England. Key to the story is the mysterious Lady Whistledown and her salacious gossip column detailing the courting season of high society. "It follows that Lady Featherington is to receive what she has always desired: the season's true incomparable living under her own roof," Whistledown writes, adding, "She must be overjoyed.". But when Whistledown publishes a column about Marina's pregnancy the following morning and effectively destroys the engagement, Penelope's reaction can be interpreted quite differently. “I think any story that might stir up controversy and increase readership was covered by the press at the time. ", When Eloise tells her that Genevieve is the writer, Penelope doesn't follow up with any questions, but instead tells her she's "happy you found her. The youngest Featherington (played by Nicola Coughlan) is overlooked, underestimated, and perhaps the least likely candidate to be behind the society papers or so it may seem. The Lady Whistledown columns narrating all four stories were written by me. That's right. Crackenthorpe,” a real-life gossip writer from 18th century England. Walton says that in the early 1800s, French rumors equally fascinated them. In Bridgerton, no one sends ripples of fear, delight, and raging curiosity through London’s upper crust society quite like Lady Whistledown, the anonymous yet all-knowing gossip maven who declares with acid-tongued authority which debutante is an “incomparable” and which scandal-tarnished aristocratic male would be better off leaving London at once. “Caricatures of the rich and famous were merciless and they skewered scandals and spread gossip just as ably as any newspaper column, often saying far more in pictures than words could convey. These fictional names epitomized common characteristics of the people concerned, so readers could easily identify them — and the author avoids a libel case. Instead, she calls Whistledown "some silly writer" and tells Eloise that she doesn't care who she is. Whitney Sun-Woo is a Korean American writer and humorist living in Los Angeles, California. Even though Whistledown reveals Marina's secret in her papers, she makes a point to say that her intended, Colin, isn't the father. Stop here if you don't want to discover the true identity of Lady Whistledown. Queen Charlotte is curious about Whistledown's identity from her first column, finding amusement in the latest gossip floating around London's upper ranks. “Both the press and the satirical printmakers referred to them as Perdita and Florizel, which echoed both Robinson’s most celebrated role and the pet names which the prince and his mistress gave to one another in their love notes,” Curzon says. Eloise idolizes Whistledown, viewing her as an independent, fearless woman rebelling against society. For a time, the most chronicled couple in the gossip columns were actress Mary Robinson and her lover, the Prince of Wales, later known as the Prince Regent and finally George IV, says Curzon. Her identity is finally revealed in the season one finale, but there were clues about who was behind the articles in earlier episodes. Throughout season one of Netflix’s period drama “Bridgerton,” an anonymous writer publishes gossip-filled columns under the name Lady Whistledown. "We shall talk.". Keep reading to see the subtle hints "Bridgerton" writers dropped along the way. Against Penelope's wishes he reads its contents, where he finds Lady Whistledown's actual last column, which served to shut down her arch nemesis Cressida Twombley's public claim that she was Whistledown. “It contained the Tête-à-Tête column, one of the first of what we would recognize as gossip columns,” explains Curzon. Little do they know, Whistledown is the last person they expect: Penelope Featherington. “Perhaps I … "Because of her, Colin, no one believes you are the father of Miss Thompson's child," Anthony Bridgerton tells his brother of Whistledown. • 3rd Document (see 3rd photo) includes the first lines from the Lady Whistledown Society Papers in episode 1. Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. And while the moment was just another witty exchange at one of the many balls in season one of "Bridgerton," it proves that Penelope is dialed into the town's gossip. Society is abuzz when the Season's most promising debutante is jilted by her intended -- only to be swept away by the deceitful rogue's dashing older brother -- in New York Times bestseller Julia Quinn's witty, charming, and heartfelt tale.. “Now,” she said, smiling, “we’ve each read all three. She's cast as Eloise's sidekick, Colin Bridgerton's admirer, and Marina Thompson's ally. Colin jokes about the fact that the host, an infant that Lady Trowbridge gave birth to before her husband died, was throwing a tantrum. Crackenthorpe was the anonymous author behind the Female Tatler, which was published from 1709 to 1710. From the moment Marina walks into the Featheringtons' household, the matriarch sees her as a burden and a distraction from her own daughters. Though anyone at the ball could sense that Marina made quite an impression on the town's suitors, Penelope is fully exposed to her mother's reaction and may have used the column to poke and prod her. He's both furious, jealous, and impressed with Penelope's secret and agrees to keep it to himself. Penelope is very well-read. She raves about the mysterious writer to Penelope, who merely smiles and humors her longtime friend, and suggests that they try to meet her. Penelope asks Eloise what happened the evening prior, when she stopped the plot to uncover Whistledown. So Penelope may have wanted both Eloise and Charlotte to be distracted while she printed the next day's paper. Penelope pushes Eloise to share her new theory that Whistledown is a tradesperson with the Queen at that evening's concert, perhaps as a way of leading the royal down the wrong track. Her sobs may have been partially due to sadness of Colin's feelings for Marina, but it's more likely that she feels guilty for sharing her cousin's secret. Nancy Bilyeau, a former staff editor at InStyle, Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly, has written a thriller set in the 18th century art and porcelain world titled 'The Blue.' Her gossip column, Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, becomes a talking point for every character. The reason Whistledown doesn't mention the event could be because Penelope and her family were uninvited shortly after arriving, so it may be a snipe at Charlotte for embarrassing them. Society is abuzz when the Season's most promising debutante is jilted by her intended—only to be swept away by the deceitful rogue's dashing older brother—in New York Times bestseller Julia Quinn's witty, charming, and heartfelt tale. Whistledown gives a brief rundown of the main players at the beginning of episode one, including a scathing description of Lady Portia Featherington. since, “No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention”. For those who couldn’t afford to purchase a print, there was always the display in the printshop window, where they could enjoy the most shocking and often lewd examples without parting with any coin. When the newcomer snags widespread attention at the season's opening ball at Danbury House, Portia's frustration only grows. Is he in pieces from the news?". He has abstained from butchers' meat and poultry for several months. “Perhaps I … As for the acerbic Lady Whistledown, Curzon said she sounds somewhat similar to a real-life gossip writer from 18thcentury England. So Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) and Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) set off on a goosechase to unmask her, suspecting everyone from tradespeople to the town modiste. Printable Lady Whistledown Society Papers; 1 Column for cards, program, announcements, etc. When Eloise checks in on her friend to see how she's faring after Whistledown's column about Marina, Penelope briefly answers her before leaping into questions about Colin's reaction. The True Story of Hollywood's Gas Station Brothel, The Secret History of the Chateau Marmont. While it may come off as Penelope vocalizing her nerves in the moment, the short interaction is a clue that Penelope wrote the Whistledown column to get out of her social obligations. To recap: Julie Andrews narrates Whistledown's final gossip column of the season as the hooded writer travels by carriage across the city. MacaronsForBreakfast 5 out of 5 stars (31) $ 2.50. He's both furious, jealous, and impressed with Penelope's secret and agrees to keep it to himself. And Whistledown seems to egg her on. The narrator exists amongst the characters — she sends out musings in the form of a small newspaper column full of gossip regarding the 1800s marriage market in London. These fictional names epitomized common characteristics of the people concerned, so readers could easily identify them — and the author avoids a libel case. “Mrs. ), published from 1769 to 1796. "Lady Whistledown's identity is quite protected," Penelope says, brushing off the plan and telling Eloise that her social calendar is too busy to help her hunt. “Gossip about him included even the most mundane things. Throughout season one of Netflix's period drama "Bridgerton," an anonymous writer publishes gossip-filled columns under the name Lady Whistledown. When she drops off the column for her publisher to pick up, he realises her secret: Penelope is Lady Whistledown! “It was an era in which print shops and printmakers flourished,” Curzon says. In the Regency period, newspaper columns gave ordinary folk a glimpse at all the glitz, glamour, and scandal. Lady Whistledown Tells All! The Regency era didn’t offer whole newspapers dedicated to gossip, but many of the papers offered news and columns about the rich and titled and there was plenty of such writing included, and the public’s hungry for it was insatiable, agree Curzon and Walton. '", It was not just gossip about the Royal Family and luxury-loving English aristocrats that caught the attention of readers during the Regency. She then darts off, presumably out of the party, and isn't seen again at the event. To recap: Julie Andrews narrates Whistledown's final gossip column of the season as the hooded writer travels by carriage across the city. The citizens of London are always rushing to get their hands on the latest edition of Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, hoping to see the names of their neighbors and enemies, but never their own. Despite the fact that Penelope and her sisters may be "ruined," her first thought is Colin. In addition to her flubbed pedigree (she pretends to be French), her business affords her access to the very people Whistledown writes about in her column. She was sarcastic, wry, perceptive, and when it mattered, compassionate. ", Penelope runs into Eloise at the Hastings Ball in the season finale. She continues: "But what of Colin? Several years back, as I started work on the book that would become The Duke and I, I created a fictitious gossip columnist named Lady Whistledown, whose column excerpts began each chapter, and I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed writing as much as when I stepped into Lady W’s shoes. Part of the social whirlwind of the coffeehouse was sharing these stories and working out exactly who the article was referring to!”. From the series' opening moments, Penelope disagrees with her mother's views on everything from marriage to her treatment of her cousin Marina, so it's a tip-off that Whistledown consistently paints such a negative picture of Portia. The voice of Lady Whistledown may belong to Julie Andrews, but Penelope is the woman behind the gossip column. So when Eloise comes knocking on her door later that evening with an update on her search for Whistledown, she isn't in the mood to make small talk. Against Penelope's wishes he reads its contents, where he finds Lady Whistledown's actual last column, which served to shut down her arch nemesis Cressida Twombley's public claim that she was Whistledown. The opening scene takes place at a ball hosted by Lady Worth, the mother of Arabella Blydon, heroine of Dancing At Midnight. "We've not had a caller in three days. Her sharp … This is your last spoiler warning. In case you missed it, the shocking final scene shows a hooded figure riding in a carriage as Julie Andrews narrates Lady Whistledown's latest gossip column. “She does call to mind ‘Mrs. His general drink is barley water, and his food is simply small soup, fish, and salad. Violet's housekeeper, who's also in on the plan, shares the story with Mrs. Varley. LADY WHISTLEDOWN’S SOCIETY PAPERS, 24 JANUARY 1814 Lady Anne Bishop laid the letters on the card table. "I'm sure with Whistledown still on the loose, next season will be far more interesting," she says. Get it now on Libro.fm using the button below. Though Penelope may be naive and have a tendency to fade into the background, especially during the balls where women are being plucked and ushered toward the dance floor, she's extremely well-positioned to collect information about those around her and publish it when no one's watching. Looking startled as she waits for the answer, Penelope asks, "Who is she? Portia claims that Whistledown "erroneously" wrote that she'd only have three women under her care for the season — Prudence Featherington, Philipa Featherington, and Marina Thompson — leaving out Penelope. Maybe it's because she's in love with him, but it could also be because she holds power to change the public's perception of her family in the future. Dear Reader—. It turns out that Penelope Featherington was Lady Whistledown all along. There have been rumblings among fans that this sort of “gossip sheet” comes from a later time than the early 19th century Regency period of Bridgerton, which based on a series of historical romance novels written by Julia Quinn. Lady Whistledown Tells All! Penelope is heartbroken and seeks comfort in Eloise, which seems like a result of her sadness in the moment. There were a number of signs that Penelope was Lady Whistledown all along. During the Regency, the English were even more interested in the actions of the Royal Family than they are in today’s family members, say historians. However, Penelope doesn't even let Eloise explain her theory. Crackenthorpe,’ billed as ‘a Lady that knows everything,’” says Curzon. Though the Female Tatler was short-lived, other magazines flourished.”, According to Curzon, one of the most influential of these magazines was Town and Country Magazine (no relation! Instead— as was the custom of all scandal sheets of the time — she used pseudonyms. Penelope is present at all the major societal gatherings and the Whistledown column … “This meant that it was simply a matter of decoding some fairly basic hints about the people involved, so a prince might be referred to as ‘an illustrious gentleman,’ or an actress by the name of her most notorious or celebrated characters.”. The Lady Whistledown columns narrating all four stories were written by me. Another was Elizabeth Farren, a famous actress with a string of aristocratic lovers. However, unlike Lady Whistledown, Mrs Crackenthorpe did not use her victims’ real names. The Featherington family members consistently wear loud colors in hues of yellows and greens. In Bridgerton, the characters are hopelessly obsessed with Lady Whistledown and in awe of her expertise: “She knows everything about everyone!” says one. Crackenthorpe,” a real-life gossip writer from 18th century England. Town & Country participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Eloise confirms that she saved the modiste, who she believed to be the writer, and Penelope seems pleased. Either way, the fact that Whistledown doesn't write about the luncheon, which was a major society event, hints at the Queen's strained relationship with the Featherington family. The column protects her bestfriend, Eloise, from having a tainted reputation and the man she loves, Colin, from being accused of something he never did. Bridgerton, Lady Whistledown, ... “It contained the Tête-à-Tête column, one of the first of what we would recognize as gossip columns,” explains Curzon. "We shall do what women do," Violet tells Daphne.