Is Francesca Bridgerton Bi or Gay? Here’s What We Know

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All about that twist in Bridgerton’s season 3 finale

Co-authored by Annabelle Reyes

Last Updated: September 3, 2025 Fact Checked

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Is Francesca Bridgerton gay?

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Her Story in the Books

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Why did Netflix change her story?

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Does the book author support the change?

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Which season will tell Francesca’s story?

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Members of the ton, rejoice! Bridgerton has been renewed for seasons 4, 5, and 6. This means we’ll get to enjoy much more of the Bridgerton siblings, including Francesca Bridgerton, who is confirmed to have a queer romance in the future of the show. But is Francesca Bridgerton gay? What was her sexuality in the books? And what have the cast and crew said about her storyline? If you’re looking for the answers to these questions, you’re in the right place. We’ve compiled everything there is to know about Francesca Bridgerton’s story, so keep reading!

Warning: There are spoilers ahead for both the Bridgerton book series and TV show.

Is Francesca Bridgerton queer?

Francesca Bridgerton will have a gay romance in Netflix’s Bridgerton. Showrunner Jess Brownell has confirmed that Francesca is queer, and her love interest from the books, Michael Stirling, has been replaced by a female character named Michaela Stirling for the TV show. Francesca is not canonically gay in the books.

Section 1 of 5:

Is Francesca Bridgerton gay in Bridgerton?

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Francesca Bridgerton will have a gay romance in the future of the show. At the end of season 3, Francesca is introduced to Michaela Stirling, the cousin of Francesca’s new husband, John Stirling. Showrunner Jess Brownell has confirmed that Michaela is the show’s version of Michael Stirling, Francesca’s love interest from the Bridgerton books.^{[1]
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Research source} This means that Francesca will have a gay romance at some point in the show’s future.
- So, is Francesca Bridgerton gay or bi? We don’t have an official answer on this, but signs point to Francesca being bisexual, rather than gay. Brownell told Glamour, “I don’t think that the reveal of Francesca’s future queerness negates what she has with John...The kind of love she has for John is very real.”^{[2]
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- If Francesca experiences true, genuine romances with both male and female characters, it seems most likely that the label of “bisexual” or “queer” will fit her character best (but we’ll have to wait and see how her story plays out!).
- Warning: Below, we’re going to get into the details of Francesca’s story in the Bridgerton novels. Since the TV show will likely follow Francesca’s storyline from the books pretty closely, you may want to stop reading if you’re trying to avoid spoilers!

Section 2 of 5:

What is Francesca Bridgerton’s story in the books?

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In the books, Francesca falls in love with Michael Stirling after a tragedy. In When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn, Francesca’s husband, John, dies suddenly and unexpectedly of an aneurysm. As Francesca grieves, she grows closer to John’s cousin, Michael Stirling. Although the pair tries to fight their feelings at first, they eventually fall in love.^{[3]
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- Is Francesca Bridgerton gay in the books? No, Francesca is not gay in the Bridgerton books. Her love interests, John Stirling and Michael Stirling, are both men, making her a canonically straight character.

Section 3 of 5:

Why did Netflix make Francesca Bridgerton queer??

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Brownell says Francesca’s queer storyline has been in the works for years. In an interview with Teen Vogue, Brownell said that she has been pitching the idea of making Francesca’s love interest Michaela (instead of Michael) since the first season of the show. She also explained that her inspiration to make Francesca a queer character actually came from Quinn’s original novel:^{[4]
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- “My approach to telling a queer story on Bridgerton has been to look to the books for thematic cues. I didn't want to just insert a queer character for queer character's sake. I want to tell a story that accurately reflects a queer experience, and the first time I read Francesca's book, I really identified with it as a queer woman [...] Her book is very much about [Francesca] feeling different, and not really knowing why. In the book, I think it has a lot to do with her just being an introvert, but as a queer woman, a lot of my queer experience [has] been about that sense of feeling different, and navigating what that means,” Brownell said to Teen Vogue.^{[5]
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Section 4 of 5:

Does author Julia Quinn support the change?

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Yes, Julia Quinn supports this change to Francesca’s story. Brownell spoke with Julia Quinn, the author of the Bridgerton novels, to get her blessing before moving forward with Francesca’s queer storyline.^{[6]
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Research source} Quinn seems to have high hopes for the show’s version of Francesca’s story, stating that she’s confident that Francesca’s season “will be the most emotional and heart-wrenching story of the show, just like When He Was Wicked has always been the true tear-jerker of the Bridgerton book series.”^{[7]
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Section 5 of 5:

Which Bridgerton season will be Francesca’s story?

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Francesca’s story will likely be the focus of season 5 or 6 of Bridgerton. Season 4 of Bridgerton (arriving in 2026) will follow Benedict’s love story, so Francesca will likely be playing more of a supporting role, and her future season hasn’t been announced yet.^{[8]
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Research source} However, based on the fact that Francesca’s story has been set up and key players have already been introduced, fans have speculated that she will be the focus of either season 5 or 6.
- Big fan of all things Bridgerton? Check out this fun quiz to find out which Bridgerton character you are!