Simone Ashley’s Bridgerton character Kate Sharma is quite different than her book counterpart, and the show’s changes made the character better.

Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) is the female lead of Bridgerton season 2, and in addition to capturing Anthony Bridgerton’s (Jonathan Bailey) heart, there are some notable differences in her character between the Netflix show and the book. Based on Julia Quinn’s novel The Viscount Who Loved Me, Bridgerton season 2 tells the story of Anthony and Kate falling in love during the British Regency era. One of the best characters in Bridgerton season 2, Kate Sharma is more strong-willed than most women at the time, and she constantly challenges Anthony, making their enemies-to-lovers relationship a must-watch.

Netflix’s Bridgerton series follows the siblings of the Bridgerton family finding true love, and each season focuses on a different sibling’s romantic story. Bridgerton is produced by Shonda Rhimes’ company Shondaland, and re-imagines a Regency-era London society where people of color are royalty and part of the sovereign class, adding diversity that the books lacked. In addition to changing some of the characters’ backstories and race, the show also changes certain plot points to make the written material from Quinn’s novels more engaging onscreen, and Bridgerton‘s Kate Sharma is a character with significant differences.

Kate Sharma Is Blonde And Younger In The Bridgerton Books

The biggest change between Kate’s Bridgerton book character and TV character is her age and race. In The Viscount Who Loved Me, Kate’s last name is Sheffield, and she is described as having blonde hair and fair skin. She is also only 21 years old and is actively taking part in the social season to find a husband even though her main focus is helping her younger sister Edwina procure a match. In Bridgerton season 2, Kate’s last name is Sharma and her family is of Indian descent. She is also already 26 years old, meaning by Regency society standards she is past the eligible age to find a husband.

Changing Kate’s race not only adds diversity to the series, but it also raises the stakes of Kate’s relationship with Anthony as her plan to return to India following the social season presents a high-stakes ticking clock. Kate being older in Bridgerton puts more pressure on Edwina (Charithra Chandran) to secure a dowry, and this is what keeps Kate from giving into her feelings for Anthony for so long. Kate’s age also adds to her independence, making her an equal partner to Anthony, and it removes some of the criticized naivety Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) possessed in Bridgerton season 1.

Kate Sharma And Anthony Bridgerton’s First Meeting In The Series Shows Her Independence

In The Viscount Who Loves Me, Kate and Anthony meet and quarrel at a ball at the start of the social season, which sets off their antagonistic relationship regarding Edwina. Their first meeting in Netflix’s Bridgerton, however, sets up their initial intrigue about each other and showcases Kate’s independence. In the first episode of Bridgerton season 2 “Capital R Rake”, Anthony and Kate end up racing each other on horseback, and Kate is shown to enjoy galloping across an open field.

When they meet at the end of the race, Anthony points out that Kate is not riding side-saddle as a woman should be. While talking, the two realize how competitive and stubborn the other is, foreshadowing their future relationship. Kate rides away without giving Anthony her name, showing how different she is than women of that time period. By having Anthony and Kate meet this way in Bridgerton, Kate Sharma’s independent streak and her compatibility and chemistry with Anthony are displayed in tandem.