A Bridgerton season 3 update from a cast member reveals that one member of the eponymous family will have an expanded role in the upcoming episodes.

A Bridgerton season 3 update reveals that one member of the eponymous family will have an expanded role. Based on the Regency-era romance novels by Julia Quinn, each season of Netflix’s popular period drama follows a different member of the titular noble family as they find love in London high society. Skipping ahead to the fourth book, the upcoming third season will follow the friendship-turned-romance between the third-eldest Bridgerton boy, Colin (Luke Newton), and the youngest Featherington daughter, Penelope (Nicola Coughlan).

For Valentine’s Day, Shondaland shared a series of Bridgerton season 3 updates, one of them revealing that a member of the eponymous family will have an expanded role in the upcoming episodes. Star Hannah Dodd says, “You’re going to see more of Francesca this season,” and goes on to explain what to expect from her character. Read her full comments below:

You’re going to see more of Francesca this season. It’s her first season out in society, so whereas you’ve seen her more in the family dynamic, now you’ll also see her in the ton dynamic. And she has to work out how she deals with that — it might be slightly different than how her family [members] have dealt with it. It’s definitely an exciting season for her.

What To Expect For Francesca In Bridgerton Season 3

The third-eldest Bridgerton daughter, Francesca was played by Ruby Stokes for the first two seasons of the show, though she had limited screen time. In season 1, she was away from the family practicing piano with Aunt Winnie, and Francesca was forgotten again in Bridgerton season 2. Her extended absences continually frustrated fans of the show, especially those aware of her importance in the source material. The sixth book in the series, When He Was Wicked, focuses on Francesca’s story, which the show should adapt in a future season.

Bridgerton season 3 recast Dodd as Francesca, an actor known for her appearances in Marvel’s Eternals and Netflix’s Enola Holmes 2, which signaled a shift in her story and screen time. As Dodd says, audiences are going to see a lot more of Francesca in season 3 as she enters into society, similar to Daphne in season 1. Bridgerton season 3 should still focus on Colin and Penelope’s romance, but with increased screen time for Francesca, the seeds should be planted for her romance in a later season.