On March 24th 2026, Bridgerton announced the leads for its upcoming season. Season 5 will follow 6th child, Francesca, and her love interest, Michaela Stirling. Francesca’s book is titled When he was Wicked and as many now know her original love interest “Michael” has been gender swapped to “Michaela,” which has gathered mixed reactions from fans, with some saying it goes against the book and is impossible for the time period.
While it is true that gay marriage was not legalized in Britain until 2013, there were still people of the LGBTQ community during this time and throughout history.
Queen Anne of Great Britain (1665-1714)
Queen Anne was the last monarch of the Stuart dynasty in England and had a very remarkable, yet tragic life. Having 17 pregnancies with no surviving children, she suffered a multitude of health problems towards the end of her life. Apart from this, Anne was said to have had a friendly, if not romantic, relationship with Sarah Churchill. The two had been childhood friends and as they grew it became something more. The two were known to use pseudonyms to communicate as equals, Anne as “Mrs. Morley” and Sarah as “Mrs. Freeman.” The letters sent between them indicated a strong emotional connection and many suggest they were more than friends. Unfortunately, due to differing political views, Anne and Sarah had a falling out. This led Anne to strip Sarah of the positions she had once given her, forcing her to leave court in 1710. Anne would live only 4 more years, while Sarah lived to the age of 84.
Princess Isabella of Parma (1741-1783) and Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen (1742-1798)
Isabella of Parma became the wife of future Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II in 1760. Around that time she met his sister, Archduchess Maria Christina or “Mimi,” for short. Although Joseph loved Isabella, she did not reciprocate these feelings. Instead, she was known to have a very intimate romantic relationship with his sister, Maria Christina. The two frequently wrote to each other, leaving behind over 200 letters. Unfortunately, their relationship was cut short as Isabella died of smallpox while pregnant in 1783.
Queen Christina of Sweden (1626-1689)
The first queen regnant of Sweden and first Swedish monarch to voluntarily abdicate, Queen Christina was also very openly herself. She often dressed in men’s clothing while despising traditional feminine dresses, leading historians to theorize she may have been non-binary. Queen Christina most notably avoided conversations of marriage and as the Queen regnant she needed an heir. Like Queen Anne, Christina had a relationship with her lady in waiting, Ebba Sparre, whom she called Belle and frequently shared a bed with. With the pressure to marry, Christina voluntarily abdicated, converted to Catholicism, moved to Rome and became a patron of music and arts.
Although many may not be pleased about the gender swap in Bridgerton or the longer wait for Eloise, the representation for a queer regency romance is definitely something to look forward to, and has been a part of history for a long time.