‘Bridgerton’ Stars Tease Strained Friendships, New Romances & More in Season 3 (VIDEO)

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The Ton is abuzz as Bridgerton Season 3 is mere days away from debuting the first half of its long-awaited third season and with it comes plenty of change for characters old and new.

Whether it’s a bored Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), an overwhelmed Violet (Ruth Gemmell), a discontented Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh), new pals Eloise (Claudia Jessie) and Cressida (Jessica Madsen), a rising debutante in Francesca (Hannah Dodd), or a world of financial change for Will (Martins Imhangbe) and Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi), there’s no shortage of fun things to look forward to.

Below, the stars break down what fans can expect, alongside the full video interview, above.

Ladies in Chaos

Liam Daniel/Netflix

As with past seasons, Queen Charlotte’s desire to unmask Lady Whistledown continues, but she’s eager to outdo the gossip writer by finding her next Diamond. The only problem? She’s not quite pleased with the lineup of newbie debutantes. “The reason behind her boredom is the fact she’s searching for something a little bit different,” Rosheuvel tells TV Insider.

“She’s bored of what’s happened in the last two seasons and how it’s happened and the way that she does it. And I think with [showrunner] Jess Brownell at the helm this time, it’s really interesting that Jess has shaken up the characters a little bit and given them a little bit of unsteadiness.” In other words, expect a different kind of Queen Charlotte this season.

Similarly, Violet and Lady Danbury are going through situations of their own as Violet focuses on helping to launch her daughter Francesca into polite society and Lady Danbury deals with an unwanted visitor. “It is quite a nerve-wracking time for Violet, I think because she’s so messed up [after what happened with] Eloise last season,” Gemmell says, referencing Lady Whistledown’s damaging column against Eloise, who had been canoodling with commoner printshop worker Theo (Calam Lynch). “She’s also nervous of making the same mistake with Francesca,” the actress adds.

Meanwhile, Andoh teases when it comes to her character Lady Danbury, the arrival of Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis) “really throws her off her game.” Unlike in past seasons where fans have seen the confident best friend of the Queen taking control, she’s finding herself at the opposite side of the power dynamic with the entrance of this new character. “[It] kind of pulls the rug out from underneath her. So she has quite a wobbly time,” Andoh continues, adding, “She doesn’t want this person to destabilize her life or mess with her friend’s life.”

Debutantes of Mayfair

Liam Daniel/Netflix

As for the younger women of the Ton, Eloise and her former bestie Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) are still on the outs after their explosive fight at the end of Season 2. “I’d love to say they’ve made up in between seasons. I really wish that was what it was,” Jessie tells TV Insider, but that’s sadly not the case for fans of the duo affectionately known as “Peneloise” by fans.

“They’ve had a lot of time apart, a whole summer apart. And during that summer, Cressida has shown a lot of kindness to [Eloise],” Jessie shares, hinting at one of Season 3’s most surprising turn of events as Eloise befriends Penelope’s longtime bully Cressida Cowper.

But why is Cressida taking an interest in Eloise all of a sudden? Madsen says, “I think she was drawn to the idea of becoming friends with Eloise because she does love a scandal. She likes something that’s talked about and obviously, the Ton are not exactly best pleased with Eloise at the moment. So I think there’s an attraction to that,” the actress admits.

Keeping on the outskirts is newly-launched Francesca, who is quite nervous among the throngs of potential suitors this season. “It is a completely new environment for her,” Dodd says. “They prepare for it their whole lives, but until you are actually in this environment, you can’t know what you’re going to feel like. And yeah, she is a slightly more introverted character compared to her siblings,” she reveals. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for success in the marriage mart, it’s just about looking for a match in the right places.

Movin’ on Up

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Meanwhile, the Mondrich family finds themselves among a new fortune that viewers will have to tune in to learn how it all comes about, but for Will and Alice, it’s quite an adjustment from their day-to-day as club owners. “Will and Alice have built some strong foundations,” Imhangbe notes of the couple’s status. “And I imagine even before Season 1,” he adds. But it’s about holding onto that dynamic that will help them get through this new adjustment period.

“I think the private moments were always there, even in Season 1,” Naomi adds of the couple’s sweet, more intimate scenes. “And I think a lot of it is the looks. It’s the secret conversation you’re having around the conversation that’s in front of you. So I think we’re maybe not leaning more into it, but more of it is being captured this season,” she adds.

See what else is in store by watching the full video, above, and don’t miss Bridgerton‘s third season as it arrives on Netflix this summer.

Bridgerton, Season 3, Part 1 Premiere, Thursday, May 16, Netflix

Bridgerton, Season 3, Part 2 Premiere, Thursday, June 13, Netflix