Is Regé-Jean Page in Season 2 of ‘Bridgerton’? Where On Earth Is The Dashing Duke?

When the first season of Bridgerton dropped on Netflix in December of 2020, hearts (and loins) were set a’flutter the very first moment that the camera panned to Regé-Jean Page. Starring as Simon Bassett, the devastatingly handsome (and altogetherly rakish) Sausage King of Chicago Duke of Hastings, Page instantly cemented himself as one of his generation’s foremost leading men (and droolworthy sex symbols). His chemistry with co-star Phoebe Dynevor was off the charts, which led to torrid torrents of their royal romps hitting some of the most NSFW corners of the internets. All the while, Bridgerton fans and stans found themselves swept up in one of those once-in-a-generation romances, which SURELY would continue for multiple seasons, right? RIGHT?!?

So, is the Duke in Season 2 of Bridgerton … or what?

We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but the Duke is dunzo. In April of 2021, Netflix and Shondaland announced that Page was a one-and-done and would NOT be returning to Bridgerton for Season 2. The announcement (h/t Lady Whistledown) was not well-received on either side of the pond, with furious fans angrily registering their disgust on every social media platform out there (possibly even Parler!). Responses ran the gamut from “If he’s not in it, I’m not watching” to “Shonda Sweetie, u can cancel Bridgerton season 2 no longer needed,” as speculation ran wild about WHY Page would not be returning.

Was it an “ego issue”? (Deuxmoi said yes.) Was it a beef issue? (It doesn’t appear so. The Duke is still down with Shonda Rhimes, thankfully.) Was it a money issue? (Quite possibly; Page quickly turned his newfound popularity into a hosting gig on SNL, roles working with the likes of Ryan Gosling and Noah Hawley, and a possible life-altering gig as James Bond.)

What we do know is this: Page’s character, the Duke of Hastings, is not really featured in the second book of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series (The Viscount Who Loved Me, a very Ian Fleming-ish title, n’est-ce pas?), which the Netflix series is closely adhering to. Page’s comment on his departure was straightforward. He told Variety that he took the role of The Duke knowing it would be a one-season gig. “It’s going to have a beginning, middle, end – give us a year,” he said, referring to early convos he had with Rhimes and showrunner Chris Van Dusen. “[I thought] ‘That’s interesting,’ because then it felt like a limited series. I get to come in, I get to contribute my bit and then the Bridgerton family rolls on.”

Will fans roll on, though? Or will they revolt? That is still an open question. Our own Meghan O’Keefe makes a very convincing case that Bridgerton is way more than just Regé-Jean Page, but early word on Bridgerton Season 2 (also coming from Miss O’Keefe) is that the show now “seems a tad embarrassed by its own licentious reputation.” Translation: It’s nowhere near as horny, which can be partially blamed on Page’s absence.

Will Rege-Jean Page come back for Bridgerton Seasons 3 and 4?

The good news is that two more seasons of Bridgerton have already been greenlit by Netflix. The bad news? The Duke doesn’t feature prominently in either of them. That said, never count out Ted Sarandos or Shonda Rhimes, both of whom have a fleet of Brinks trucks that they could offer to back up to Page’s estate.

Bridgerton Season 2 premieres on Netflix on Friday, March 25.