- This page is about the book character. For the Netflix character, see Daphne Basset
Daphne Basset (née Bridgerton) is the fourth Bridgerton child and eldest daughter.
History[]
Early Life[]
Daphne is the fourth child of Edmund and Violet Bridgerton. She was born 18 months after her older brother, Colin. She was ten when Edmund suddenly died and was the one who told her oldest brother, Anthony, the news.
Daphne debuted into London, but was quickly rejected by many suitable men, who considered her too friendly to be a wife. She had four proposals, and rejected all of them, the last two being from Lord Chalmers and Nigel Berbrooke.
1813[]
Daphne is now in her second season when the mysterious Lady Whistledown starts publishing her column. Despite her rejection of Berbrooke, he continually pursues Daphne, asking for her hand in marriage. During Lady Danbury's ball, she tried to avoid him with the help of her brothers, but when Philippa Featherington loudly announced her presence, she ran to hide in the retiring room. Unfortunately, Berbrooke found her before she could get there, and begged her to marry him again. Daphne tried to turn him down kindly, but when he grabbed her, she's forced to defend herself and knocks Berbrooke out cold. A man comes up just as Daphne punches Berbrooke, and introduces himself as Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings who's recently returned to London.
Daphne returns inside, and Violet immediately starts introducing her to other eligible gentlemen at the ball. Simon comes over and introduces himself, then asks Daphne to dance. She gladly accepts. She tells Simon why she's failed to secure any worthwhile offers. Simon then suggests an arrangement: he and Daphne pretend to court so that he'll be left alone by the debutantes' mothers, and Daphne can attract more suitors; Daphne agrees to the plan. The next day, Daphne is visited by six men, which had never happened before. Simon also comes over, paying a call at Daphne's request. Anthony sees, and is not happy to know that Simon, his school friend, is courting Daphne. Daphne and Simon tell Anthony about their arrangement. Though skeptical at the plan, Anthony agrees to play along.
By Lady Trowbridge's ball, Daphne sadly admits to herself that she's fallen for Simon. Simon greets Daphne, and they're both greeted by the Duke of Middlethorpe, an old friend of Simon's father. He gives Simon letters written by his father before he died, but Simon coldly refuses to take them. Daphne is surprised, but when Middlethorpe asks her to take them to keep safe, she agrees.
Daphne talks to Simon on the terrace at the Trowbridge ball, but she can't avoid her feelings for him and walks into the garden. Simon follows her to prevent her honor from being ruined, and the two end up close together. Simon kisses Daphne, and she kisses him back. They're caught making out by Anthony, who beats up Simon and demands he marry Daphne. Simon refused, and agreed to meet Anthony for a duel at dawn. Daphne is distressed, and tries to find a way to stop them. When Colin reveals that someone saw her and Simon going into the garden, Daphne gets his help to go and stop the duel. There, she tells Simon to marry her or she will be ruined. Simon tells her that he can't marry her because he can't have children. Daphne still agrees to marry him, even if she doesn't have children.
Daphne and Simon marry soon after, and head to Clyvedon Castle, the Hastings ancestral home. Simon heeds Daphne's advice to not be on the road late at night, and stops at an inn. Since they changed their plan last minute, the inn only has one room available, which Daphne has no problem with, but Simon does. Due to her mother's vague explanation about marital relations, Daphne believes Simon is impotent. She awkwardly admits that to Simon, who corrects her thought and assures Daphne that he is not impotent. He pulls her close, and the two give in to their desire, making love on their wedding night.
They come to Clyvedon and Daphne experiences the joys of marital relations while learning her duties as the Duchess of Hastings. She tries to get Simon to open up about his childhood, but when he refuses, she asks Mrs. Colson, the housekeeper. Mrs. Colson tells Daphne that Simon stuttered as a child, and his father rejected him for not being perfect. Daphne tells Simon that night that she loves him, hoping he will no longer feel alone. After they make love, though, Daphne realizes that Simon is purposely making sure she doesn't conceive. She confronts him, and he claims he told her that he can't have children, but she says he won't, which is different. Simon tells her he won't have a child to end the Hastings line as revenge against his father. They argue, which leads to Simon leaving and Daphne crying.
Daphne tries to talk to Simon the next day, but he refuses. Hurt and upset, Daphne moves into a separate bedroom and locks Simon out. Simon comes to her bedroom, furious, and demands she move back to the duke's bedroom. Daphne refuses, saying if he will shut himself off from her, she can do the same. Simon leaves, angry. He returns early the following morning, drunk. Daphne lets Simon in, and realizes he's too drunk to function. She helps him into her bed so he can sleep. Daphne realizes that Simon still desires her while drunk and sleepy. She makes love to him while he's asleep. At his climax, Simon releases into Daphne just as he wakes up. Simon is furious and gets angry at Daphne for what she did and leaves the room. Daphne gets a letter from Simon hours later that he's left, and to let him know if she's pregnant. Lonely at Clyvedon, Daphne decides to go back to London to be near her family.
Daphne arrives at Hastings House in London. Her family finds out and comes over, wanting to know where Simon is. Her brothers are furious at Simon, while her mother tries to comfort Daphne. Two months after arriving, Daphne's courses haven't come, and she thinks she's pregnant. She writes a letter to Simon just as Anthony visits her. He says he'll kill Simon for hurting Daphne, but Daphne threatens to never speak to him again. He notices the letter, and says he'll deliver it. Daphne agrees, but only if Anthony agrees not to hurt Simon. Anthony relents, and Daphne hands him the letter.
Daphne is out riding when Simon returns to London. She hears him coming, but believing him to be another ton member, Daphne tries to ride away to be alone. She ends up falling off her horse, and Simon finds her. Simon yells at her for putting their unborn baby at risk. Daphne then tells him she's not pregnant. She found out after she sent the letter to Simon, and is heartbroken. Simon says he misses her, and wants to make her happy, but doesn't know how to let his hatred for his father go. Daphne says he can, because he deserves to be happy. Simon agrees, and they both head home.
At Hastings House, they find her brothers Anthony, Benedict, and Colin waiting for them to talk to Simon. Daphne is furious, but they won't leave until Simon proves he loves her. Simon pulls Daphne aside, and lets her know that he loves her. Violet comes over, and drags her sons out while Simon and Daphne happily reunite. Daphne gives Simon his father's letters later, but he decides to keep them away and focus on his future with Daphne.
1814[]
Daphne attends her mother's country party at Aubrey Hall with Simon. They play Pall Mall with Anthony, Colin, and Kate and Edwina Sheffield, sisters and guests for the event. Daphne bonds with Kate, who shows a competitive spirit for Pall Mall like the Bridgertons. She tells Kate to send Anthony's ball into the lake as revenge for the last time he did the same to Daphne. Kate is able to do so, delighting Daphne. Simon later reveals Daphne is pregnant. Daphne gives birth a girl; following her family's tradition, Daphne and Simon name their daughter Amelia.
1815[]
Daphne is expecting her second child when Violet hosts her grand masquerade ball the following year. She has another daughter named Belinda.
1817[]
Daphne and Simon have another daughter, Caroline, and Daphne announces to her family that she is expecting her fourth child during the social season in London. She later gives birth to her first son, whom she and Simon name David.
1824[]
Daphne is visited by Colin, who is now engaged to Penelope Featherington. He asks her how someone knows they're in love, and Daphne gives her brother advice as best she can. When she notices it's raining, she encourages Colin to stay to eat and then take one of her carriages back to his place.
Daphne hosts a ball, and she and Simon greet Violet arrives with her sisters Eloise and Hyacinth, and Penelope, now Colin's wife, when they arrive. They mention how Colin told them to keep Penelope away from Lady Danbury during the evening, and ask Penelope why. Penelope admits she doesn't know what's going on. Daphne is later in the crowd when Colin reveals to the attendees Penelope's identity as Lady Whistledown.
1833-34[]
Daphne's three daughters have made their debuts, and are looking to get married. Daphne, to her shock, discovers she's pregnant again. When Colin and Penelope visit with their four children, Daphne realizes they came to talk to Simon because their youngest child, George, could also have a stuttering problem. Daphne later finds Simon about to open up his father's letters, wondering if they can help Colin and Penelope in some way. Daphne helps him, but they don't find any useful information. Simon finally burns the letters, and tells Daphne their family is the only thing that matters now. Daphne later gives birth to a second son named Edward.
1841[]
By her mother's 75th birthday, Daphne is not only a mother to five children, but a grandmother to five grandchildren through her daughters.
Personality[]
Growing up in the Bridgerton family, Daphne was surrounded by love and joy, and hopes to marry and have a family as wonderful as her own. As the eldest daughter, Daphne feels pressure to make a good match so her younger sisters will also marry well. But the more she's exposed to the real world and London society, Daphne realizes she will face many challenges; her only hope is that the love she knows and has experienced will be the key to conquering those challenges.
Relationships[]
Romantic[]
Simon Basset[]
Daphne was instantly smitten when she met Simon. She agreed to Simon's plan to pretend to court her, but realized she had developed real feelings for him. Since Simon never planned to marry, she felt that her feelings would never be reciprocated. When Daphne and Simon were caught in a compromising position, but Simon refused to marry her, Daphne was heartbroken. Simon explained that it was because he can't have children, something Daphne has always wanted. Daphne still agreed to marry him. After their marriage, she discovered that he was intentionally making sure that Daphne didn't conceive, and tried to convince him not to give up on children to spite his father. When Simon refused, Daphne was hurt pushed him away. After Simon leaves when Daphne purposely tries to get pregnant, Daphne is depressed. Simon returns, though, and they reunite when Daphne convinces him to let go of his hatred. Simon eventually declares his love for her, and Daphne reciprocates, saying she loves him too. They have a happy marriage and five children together.
Familial[]
Parents[]
Daphne grew up, watching both her mother and father, and was always enthralled by the love they shared. She also admired Violet's loving, caring instincts as a mother, and wished to be a mother as good as Violet.
Siblings[]
Daphne and Colin are quite close; being closest in age. Colin comes to her for advice on his love life when he was falling for his future wife, Penelope. As the eldest daughter and son, Daphne and Anthony bonded over being the first to have to marry in the family.
Friendships[]
Professional[]
Notes and Trivia[]
- Daphne has the famous Bridgerton thick, chestnut hair[2] and brown eyes.[3]
- She got excited when Simon pointed out she has flecks of green as well.[4]
- She does not excel in mathematics like her brother Colin.[5]
- Her favorite subjects are history and literature.[6]
- Considering Colin is 18 months Daphne's elder, and his birth date is March 2, 1791[7], then one can infer Daphne was born sometime in September 1792.
Appearances[]
| Bridgerton Books | |||||
| #01 | "The Duke and I" | #04 | "Romancing Mister Bridgerton" | #07 | "It's In His Kiss" |
| #02 | "The Viscount Who Loved Me" | #05 | "To Sir Phillip, With Love" | #08 | "On The Way To The Wedding" |
| #03 | "An Offer from a Gentleman" | #06 | "When He Was Wicked" | #09 | "The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After" |
References
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