One of the unknowns that the second part of ‘Brigerton’ season 3 has to solve is whether Penelope will be revealed to be Lady Whistledown. However, for some fans, the question goes further: how can someone so young and still living with his family write the most scandalous tract in all of society in the first place?
How can Penelope Featherington be Lady Whistledown if she’s only 16?
At first glance, it seems unlikely that a 16-year-old girl would write a column that has society in a tizzy. Especially when you consider that in many cases “adult” topics are touched on that Penelope has no reason to know or knows the stories of almost everyone in society and she just debuted.
The answer lies in the series’ original source: Julia Quinn’s books. In them it is revealed that Penelope began writing her column not for financial reasons, but as a simple continuation of talents and skills she had been honing since childhood.
In the novels, it is said that “Pena” began writing a journal in which she expressed her feelings and thoughts about the people around her. Especially for those who were mean to her, like Cressida Cowper. Her journal became a way to express what she couldn’t say out loud.
Her family lawyer discovered her diary out of curiosity and encouraged her to publish her writings. He was the one who made the arrangement with the printer, since Penelope could not easily leave the house. She also advised him to post under a pseudonym. This situation allowed his column to be published without revealing his identity.
We also have to consider her personality and her place in London society: as seen in the Netflix series, she is always alone at balls, often listens to the rumors spread among the servants, and is usually wary of what you say.
This is how Lady Whistledown is revealed in the books
Contrary to what appears in the Netflix series, in the Julia Quinn novels, the first to learn the author’s identity is Colin, not Eloise.
Everything falls apart after Lady Danbury, fed up with ‘Lady Whistledown’ publications, offers a financial reward to anyone who can reveal who is behind the pamphlet.
After a dance, Colin realizes that Penelope has taken a carriage that does not belong to his family, so he decides to follow her. So she arrives at a church, where she discreetly hands over the manuscript of her next edition.
After discovering the secret, Colin confronts her but, in the heat of the moment, the argument turns into a romantic moment in the carriage, after which he asks her to marry him.
Cressida Cowper, who is a widow in the books, poses as Lady Whistledown to collect the reward. However, “Pen” won’t let her take credit for her life’s work, so he publishes another column refuting her.
Through this text, Cressida realizes that Lady Whistledown is Penelope, since she insults her the same way she insults her face to face. After discovering her secret, he bribes her into not revealing it to the entire society in exchange for money.
Penelope then has no choice but to ask Colin for help, who in turn turns to Anthony to solve the problem. At a party, Colin introduces his wife as Lady Whistledown and, contrary to expectations, the members of society applaud him instead of accusing him.
Let us know in the comments what you think of Penelope’s origin story as Lady Whistledown.
Source: univision
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
