- This page is about the book character. For the Netflix character, see Kate Bridgerton
Kate Bridgerton (née Sheffield) is the wife of Anthony Bridgerton.
History[]
Early Life[]
Kate's father is a baron's second son. Her mother died from lung fever on her third birthday, during a terrible thunderstorm. She had been ill for a week, and Kate was kept confined to her room. The night her mother died, the servants were distracted by her impending death, and Kate managed to get to her mother's room. Her father was there, and tried to get her to leave. Unfortunately, a huge lightning bolt flashed, and both Kate and her father saw her mother suddenly sit up, despite being bedridden for a week, and open her mouth in a silent scream. A huge thunderclap hit, and Kate believed the thunder sound was her mother's scream. Kate climbed onto her mom's lap, screaming and crying for her mom to wake up. Even as her mother fell back onto the pillows, now dead, Kate wouldn't let go of her mother, despite her father's attempts. She fell asleep from exhaustion, and Kate's father and the servants were finally able to pull her off and put her to bed. Kate repressed the memory of that night, but became terrified of thunderstorms.
Her father married her stepmother, Mary, mere months later. Kate loved Mary, and vice versa. Her half-sister, Edwina, was born soon after, and the two grew up close. She was comforted by her father or Mary during storms. When she grew older, to stop her family from worrying about her, Kate claimed she didn't fear them anymore, though she still did.
After Kate's father died, the Sheffields' family finances were in a precarious state. As a result, Kate was not able to make her debut in London when she came of age. With their money stretched thin, the plan was for both Kate and Edwina to debut in the same year, in hopes they both made good matches.
1814[]
Kate and Edwina make their debuts, and Edwina is named the season's Incomparable. When Edwina publicly declares that she will only marry a man who her sister approves, Kate becomes besieged by suitors attempting to gain Edwina's favor. Well aware of this, Kate endeavors to help Edwina by vetting any suitors. Anthony Bridgerton courts Edwina, but Kate refuses to approve of him because of his reputation as a rake. Anthony meets her challenge and says he'll marry Edwina, regardless of Kate's approval. Kate is thrown by his challenge, but is still against a match between him and Edwina.
Kate ends up going for a walk with Anthony and her dog, Newton, when he pays a visit to Edwina. Anthony tries to adjust her bonnet so she can feel the sun, and Kate is distracted by him being so close that Newton gets away. He ends up finding Edwina near the Serpentine, and she falls into the water when Newton pounces on her. Anthony yells at Kate, but she insists it was an accident, and she'd never hurt her sister on purpose. When Anthony yells at her again, Kate gets Newton to purposely get Anthony wet as revenge.
Kate reluctantly joins Mary to attend a musicale at Bridgerton House without Edwina, who gets sick after her accident. Kate watches Anthony blatantly flirt with Maria Rosso, the opera singer performing. Wanting to avoid the gossiping crowds, Kate ends up hiding in Anthony's study. When Anthony comes in with Maria, Kate hides under the desk. Anthony finds her, though, and she insists that she came there by accident. Anthony doesn't believe her, and thinks Kate desires him. The two end up kissing. Kate is shocked by her own desire, and gets angry at Anthony. She tells him she'll never let him marry Edwina, but Anthony brushes her off before she leaves in anger.
Kate reluctantly attends the Bridgerton country party at Aubrey Hall with Mary and Edwina. She is surprised when Anthony apologizes for his behavior at the musicale, but accepts it. She joins a spirited game of Pall Mall with Anthony and Edwina, where she meets Anthony's siblings, Colin and Daphne. Daphne tells Kate to help her send Anthony's ball into the lake as revenge for the last time he did the same to Daphne. After Anthony purposely sends Kate's ball off course, she gets even and makes sure his ball falls into the lake. Kate and Anthony clean up the course together, and admit they've become friends of a sort.
At dinner that evening, Kate watches Anthony rescue Penelope Featherington from being bullied by Cressida Cowper, and admires his actions. That night, she tries to find a book to help her sleep when a thunderstorm starts. Terrified, she stays in the library, unable to move. Anthony finds her there, and comforts Kate during the storm until she finally is able to relax and head back to her room.
The following morning, Kate tells Anthony that after his help, she approves of him marrying Edwina. Suddenly, Anthony becomes terrified when a bee flies near Kate. She sees it, and tries to shoo it away, but it ends up stinging her. Kate doesn't make a big deal out of it, but she sees Anthony panic and desperately try to extract the venom, saying she will die if he doesn't. Kate is confused, but lets him help her when he tells her his father died of a bee sting. As he tries to help her, they are caught by Mary, Violet Bridgerton, and Portia Featherington. Kate became panicked at getting caught, since Portia is a notorious gossip. When Portia said they had to marry, Kate protested, not wishing to trap Anthony into marriage. When Violet pointed out that they could've been seen by the other house guests, Anthony quickly declared the two of them will wed immediately.
Kate is frazzled, and tells Anthony that she knows everybody will say she trapped him. Anthony, though, kisses her, and says he does desire her, and believes they will have a happy marriage because they've learned to get along. When he points out that them not marrying will cause ruin for Edwina, Kate accepts the fact they will marry, however reluctantly. After their engagement is announced, Kate becomes the center of attention, as she welcomes visitors to her family's house and shops for her trousseau with Violet. A few days before the wedding, Anthony comes over and gives Kate an engagement ring while also telling her that he won't be able to love her so she shouldn't expect it. Kate is annoyed, but accepts Anthony being honest with her.
The night before the wedding, Mary comes to explain marital relations to Kate, saying that a woman can only find pleasure with the man she loves, but a man finds pleasure in the act with any woman. This leads Kate to believe Anthony pictures Edwina when he's with her. Kate and Anthony get married, but her lingering doubts are there as she gets ready for her wedding night. Anthony tells her resolutely that he's always desired Kate and found her beautiful, even when he didn't like her, and that she's the only woman he's ever thought about. Kate realizes Anthony is speaking the truth, and the two make love on the wedding night.
Kate steps into the role of Viscountess Bridgerton after her marriage, entertaining guests, attending balls and parties, and spending time with the Bridgerton family. During the nights, she enjoys Anthony's attentions in bed. A month later, Edwina visits, and reveals she's in love with Mr. Bagwell, a scholar she met at Aubrey Hall. Kate is thrilled for her sister. She later tells Anthony, who promises to set aside a dowry for Edwina. That night, a thunderstorm hits, and Kate has a nightmare, screaming in her sleep and calling out to her mother. Anthony overhears her, and tells Kate what she said the next morning. Kate is confused, and Anthony suggests she should talk to Mary. Though afraid of what she might hear, Kate agrees when Anthony accompanies her. They visit Mary, and Kate asks what happened to her mother. Mary explains what happened, and how Kate saw her mother die. Kate is shocked, but glad to know where her fear comes from. Realizing how Anthony has helped her, Kate realizes she's fallen in love with him, but keeps it to herself.
That night, Anthony suddenly leaves, confusing Kate. She gets a note from his sister, Eloise, the next morning that he's at Bridgerton House. Kate comes over, and tries to get Anthony to explain why he left and to come back home. Anthony refuses, and angrily tells her to not bring it up. Hurt, Kate leaves, making Anthony feel guilty for hurting her.
A couple days later, Kate chaperones a carriage ride with Edwina, Mr. Bagwell, and Newton. When Newton gets loose, Mr. Bagwell loses control of the carriage and it overturns, pinning Kate underneath. Anthony finds her just as this happens, and says how it's his time, not hers. Kate awakes hearing this, and Anthony tells Kate he loves her, and needed to tell her. He pulls her out, and realizes her leg is broken. Kate is brought home, where her leg is treated. She asks Anthony about what he said at the park, and Anthony admits how he believes he'll die at 38 like his father did, meaning he'll only be alive for another ten years. Kate says she wants to live with him, no matter how long or short their lives are, because they both deserve to be happy and enjoy life. Anthony agrees, and tells Kate he loves her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. The two admit their love, and reunite.
1815[]
By the following season, Kate is expecting her first child. Violet hosts a masquerade ball at Bridgerton House as one final party, then moves out while Anthony and Kate move in. They have their first child soon after, a son named Edmund after Anthony's father.
1817[]
By the start of the season, Kate and Anthony have another son, Miles.
1823[]
Kate celebrates Anthony's 39th birthday with their family, when he finally surpasses his father in age. The two are thrilled to celebrate his birthday together. They now have a third child, a daughter named Charlotte.
1824[]
Kate attended Violet's birthday ball, and was talking with Eloise, Anthony's sister Francesca Stirling, and Sophie Bridgerton, the wife of Anthony's brother, Benedict.
Kate was at Violet's house for tea with Charlotte when Penelope arrived with Colin. She asked Penelope about her sister Felicity's upcoming betrothal. Kate later attended Colin and Penelope's engagement ball.
1829-30[]
Mary died, and soon after, Kate found out she was pregnant with her fourth child. She and Anthony had another daughter who they named Mary.
Personality[]
Often compared to her younger sister, Edwina, Kate accepted who she was and learned to only make time for those who were willing to accept her as she is, mainly her family. But beneath her sharp wit and cutting remarks, Kate yearns to experience true love and have a family as loving as the one she grew up in.
Relationships[]
Romantic[]
Anthony Bridgerton[]
Kate met Anthony when he tried to court Edwina, but she didn't approve of him. However, Anthony refused to cower from Kate's disapproval, which had never happened to Kate before. They got to know each other, and Kate had growing feelings for him. However, she put them aside for Edwina's sake, and told Anthony she would allow him to marry Edwina after he helped her during her fear of thunderstorms. They were caught in a compromising position, and forced to marry out of honor. Despite her feelings, Kate did not like the fact that Anthony was trapped into marriage with her. However, Anthony told her that he desired her and always had, even when he was courting Edwina. Kate enjoyed being married, despite her worries about Anthony saying they would have a loveless marriage. When Kate realized she had fallen in love with him, she kept it a secret until Anthony admitted he loved her too. The two accepted their love marriage, and went on to have four kids together.
Familial[]
Mary Sheffield[]
Mary is Kate's stepmother, but she has raised Kate since she was three years old, and is the only mother figure Kate has ever known. Though Kate did not believe she would get married, Mary still insisted on bringing her to London to find a husband with Edwina. Despite Kate marrying Anthony out of honor, Mary still believed Kate would be happy in her marriage. Mary wished she had known that Kate was still afraid of storms, but Kate assured her that she always felt loved by Mary as a mother. Kate named her youngest daughter in honor of Mary.
Edwina Bagwell[]
Kate dotes on her younger sister, Edwina. Though Edwina is beautiful, Kate loves that she also has a caring heart. She was happy to let Edwina be the center of attention. When they came to London, Edwina said that she would not marry without Kate's approval, which amused Kate, but she still did try to vet suitors for Edwina. When Anthony and Kate got engaged, Edwina was thrilled, and surprised Kate by saying she knew that Anthony was attracted to her all along. Edwina married Mr. Bagwell, whom Kate approved of, and she was thrilled to see her sister happy and in love.
Mary Bridgerton[]
Kate was 37 when she had Mary. Her youngest daughter was a lovely yet very unexpected surprise due to her age and the fact that she and Anthony already had three children together. She was named after Kate's mother, Mary, who had passed away before Mary II was born.
Friendships[]
Daphne Basset[]
When Kate met Daphne during the Pall Mall game, she showed just as much competitive spirits as the other Bridgertons, and Daphne was impressed by how well Kate fit in. They bonded over being women and learning to manage men.
Lucy Bridgerton[]
Kate always adored Lucy, and not-so-secretly wanted her with her brother-in-law, Gregory. Eventually the two got together, and Kate was very happy for them both. Gregory and Lucy named their first daughter after her.
Notes and Trivia[]
- Kate is considered less beautiful compared to her blonde and blue-eyed younger sister, Edwina, with her brown eyes and hair. She is also a good foot taller than Edwina.[1]
- Kate is an accomplished watercolorist.[2]
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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