‘Bridgerton’: Full Timeline of Penelope & Colin’s Relationship Through the Seasons
Polin forever! Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton’s (Luke Newton) love story got the spotlight in Bridgerton Season 3, but the show has been building to this relationship since the first season.
Penelope and Colin’s romance has been the ultimate slow burn, with the most satisfying payoff. Their friendship endured hurdles, some more heartbreaking than others (see below), before deepening into a romantic relationship.
Season 3, based on Julia Quinn’s Romancing Mister Bridgerton, gave Polin fans the scenes we’d been craving. From their first kiss to their steamy carriage moment to their wedding, Penelope and Colin enchanted us with their love story.
In honor of Penelope and Colin getting their happy ending, scroll down to get a full relationship timeline of Polin’s relationship from Season 1 to now.
Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton’s relationship timeline on ‘Bridgerton.’ (TV Insider)
Penelope & Colin's First Dance (Season 1, Episode 1)
Penelope and Colin have always been in each other’s orbits. From the very first episode of Bridgerton, it was clear that Penelope only had eyes for Colin. In the series premiere, “Diamond of the First Water,” Penelope and Colin cross paths during outdoor ball at Vauxhall Gardens. When the cruel Cressida (Jessica Madsen) deliberately spills her drink on Penelope’s dress, Colin sticks it to the Cowper girl and asks Penelope to dance. A gleeful Penelope joins Colin on the dance floor in their first dance of the series.
Colin & Marina’s Engagement Falls Apart (Season 1, Episode 7)
In the first season, Marina Thompson (Ruby Barker), a distant Featherington cousin, comes to town to make her debut. Marina believes her lover, George Crane, has abandoned her, and she quickly realizes she’s pregnant. She begins to search for a husband and sets her sights on Colin, much to Penelope’s dismay. Colin does propose to Marina, but he wants a long engagement, which thwarts her plan to cover up her pregnancy. When Penelope voices her concern over Colin getting wrapped up in Marina’s pregnancy plot, Marina twists the knife. “Your love is an unrequited fantasy,” Marina tells Penelope.
So what does Penelope do? She outs Marina’s pregnancy in her next Lady Whistledown column. A hurt and embarrassed Colin calls off his engagement to Marina soon after her baby news is exposed.
Colin Leaves Town (Season 1, Episode 8)
Following the Marina drama, Colin decides he needs a reprieve from the ton gossip. Penelope’s ready to admit her feelings to Colin, but he reveals his big news first: he’s leaving town. He’s heading out on his tour, which he says Penelope inspired him to do. Penelope doesn’t profess her love then, and she quickly runs away before she sheds any tears.
Colin's Been Writing Penelope Letters (Season 2, Episode 1)
Colin returns from his travels at the beginning of Season 2, and we learn that he and Penelope corresponded frequently while he was away. A miscommunication leads Penelope to believe that Colin met a young lady during his travels. Colin later explains himself. “Your letters were so encouraging. I thought, if Penelope can see me this way, then surely I can too,” he says, before adding that he finally met his true self on this trip.
He also reveals that he’s sworn off women for the time being. When Penelope asks what that means for her, Colin replies, “You are Pen. You do not count. You are my friend.” Ouch.
Colin Says He'd Never Court Penelope (Season 2, Episode 8)
This is Colin Bridgerton’s lowest point. Colin has a total “bro” moment when his male acquaintances ask if he’s courting Penelope after seeing them dance together. “Are you mad? I would never dream of courting Penelope Featherington,” he says. Unfortunately, Penelope is eavesdropping from a distance and hears Colin’s painful words. Our beloved Pen runs away in tears. (Colin, you were raised better than this!)
Penelope & Colin's First Kiss (Season 3, Episode 2)
In the Season 3 premiere, Colin agrees to help Penelope find a husband. She’s ready to put her wallflower days behind her. When everyone and their mother finds out about their little deal, courtesy of Eloise (Claudia Jessie), Penelope is humiliated. Colin rushes to her house to call on Penelope and apologize for what happened.
Out of the blue, Penelope asks Colin to kiss her because she’s never been kissed. “I do not wish to die without ever having been kissed,” she tells him. What starts out as a simple, chaste kiss turns into a passionate lip lock. It’s the kiss that changes everything for Polin!
Penelope & Colin's Steamy Carriage Tryst (Season 3, Episode 4)
Penelope does find an eligible suitor in the sweet, nature-loving Lord Debling (Sam Phillips). He and Penelope take an interest in each other right away. Lord Debling is ready to pop the question to Penelope when he figures out Penelope’s true feelings for Colin.
After Lord Debling officially ends their courtship, Penelope heads home in her carriage. Colin runs after her and begs to join her. Penelope calls him out for ruining her relationship with Lord Debling. Colin confesses that he does have romantic feelings for Penelope. Finally on the same page, Colin and Penelope have a sensual and downright hot carriage hookup, one of the most highly-anticipated moments from Romancing Mister Bridgerton—and it does not disappoint.
Colin Proposes to Penelope (Season 3, Episode 4)
After the spell is broken on their carriage tryst, Colin shocks Penelope once again. “For God’s sake, Penelope Featherington. Are you going to marry me or not?” he says to her. Penelope is too stunned to speak!
Penelope & Colin's Mirror Moment (Season 3, Episode 5)
Polin fans didn’t just get one sexy love-making scene in Season 2. We get two. Penelope and Colin’s mirror moment, which leads to their first time, is by far one of the sexiest Bridgerton moments. Standing in front of a mirror, Colin showers Penelope with praise before undressing her in what Coughlan calls “the most beautiful profession of love.” They consummate their relationship on a chaise lounge in their new home.
Colin Finds Out About Lady Whistledown (Season 3, Episode 6)
When Cressida tries to take credit for Lady Whistledown to get a reward, Penelope just can’t let it go. She writes a last-minute column and races to the printer, but Colin follows her. He finally discovers that she’s Lady Whistledown in Episode 6’s “Romancing Mister Bridgerton.” The fallout of Colin’s discovery happens in the following episode, “Joining of Hands.”
Colin is beyond shocked by the truth and says he’ll never forgive Penelope for keeping such a secret. Colin and Penelope are on the outs for a bit, but this secret is not enough to break them up.
Colin & Penelope Marry (Season 3, Episode 7)
Say hello to the new Mr. and Mrs. Bridgerton! Colin and Penelope’s whirlwind romance builds to a gorgeous wedding in Season 3, Episode 7. Penelope walks down the aisle in a pale pink wedding gown and says “I do” to the man she’s always (and only ever) loved.
Polin’s wedding day isn’t all sunshine and roses, though. The Lady Whistledown bombshell is still looming over them, with Penelope refusing to give up her voice.
Penelope & Colin Welcome a Son (Season 3, Episode 8)
Penelope steps into the light and reveals herself as Lady Whistledown at her sisters’ ball. With the truth finally out, Colin and Penelope officially reconcile.
“I have been envious of you,” Colin says. “Of your success. Of your bravery. And now I simply cannot believe that a woman with such bravery loves me.”
The Season 3 finale flashes forward several months. Penelope and Colin have a son, making their little one the next Lord Featherington. A happily ever after indeed!
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