Just days after the emotional conclusion of Bridgerton Season 4’s sweeping finale, fans of the popular Netflix series were no longer wondering about Benedict’s secret wedding or Francesca’s tragic loss. Rather, they were asking one question: Will we ever again see the Duke and Duchess of Hastings?
Jess Brownell addresses recasting rumors
On February 26, 2026, showrunner Jess Brownell answered that question directly in an interview with Variety Magazine. While fans of Bridgerton may have hoped that Netflix would recast Simon and Daphne in order to keep their beloved characters physically present in all of the major family scenes, Brownell made one thing very clear: that’s not happening anytime soon. “We are not interested in recasting the characters. I think it would feel like a disservice to everything Regé and Phoebe set up in Season 1, and all the beautiful work they put into those characters.”
While recasting would have allowed fans of the show to continue seeing Simon and Daphne physically present in all of the major family scenes, Brownell’s “the camera doesn’t see everything” attitude suggests that both are still fully present in the world of Bridgerton—they’re just not in frame as they’re off tending their estate or partying just outside of focus.
The argument was further fueled when Season 4, which came out on February 26, saw two storylines that seemed to require the presence of Daphne, namely the funeral of John Stirling, as well as Benedict’s secret marriage to Sophie Baek under the closing credits. While Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley) briefly make an appearance, the Duke and Duchess of Hastings are merely alluded to, with Violet Bridgerton strategically dropping the titles during the social season.
However, Brownell is not closing the door on the possibility of seeing the Duke and Duchess again, albeit under one circumstance: the story has to be good enough for them to return. There is no cameo, no funeral, and no single line of dialogue for the sake of the story. The return of Page or Dynevor has to be impactful.
Dynevor, who is currently working on the adaptation of Emily Henry’s Beach Read novel, has expressed willingness before, while Page, who famously signed on for a single season before moving on to work on various films such as You, Me, & Tuscany, is the wild card.
The Duke and Duchess of Hastings may be part of the Bridgerton family, though we may not see them in the drawing room.
