Bridgerton took the world by storm when it first made its debut on December 25, 2020. The historical fiction centers on the Bridgerton family and the Bridgerton siblings’ love stories, based on Julia Quinn’s book series of the same name. And with the return to Bridgerton‘s ton on the horizon, a look back at one of Season 2’s most underrated relationships, Eloise Bridgerton and Theo Sharpe, is not only fair but will be beneficial ahead of Season 3. Anthony Bridgerton and Kathani “Kate” Sharma’s enemies-to-lovers romance was built on emotional intimacy and takes center stage in the drama’s sophomore season. However, Bridgerton‘s ensemble cast allows other love stories to blossom — and wither.

Fans of Julia Quinn’s books know Eloise’s story in To Sir Phillip, With Love details how the heroine falls in love with Sir Phillip Crane, not Theo. Yet, Eloise and Theo’s relationship holds a purpose even though it’s not the central romance of the season or a canonical endgame in the books. Bridgerton Season 3, which premiered May 16, 2024, focuses on Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton’s love story from Julia Quinn’s Romancing Mister Bridgerton. Even though Bridgerton Season 3 doesn’t feature this original pairing, what the characters have in Season 2 maintains its significance.

Updated on July 4, 2024, by Andrea Sandoval: Theo Sharpe and Eloise Bridgerton make one of the most lovable couples in Bridgerton, despite their brief appearance in Season 2. We updated this article to speculate more about this iconic couple in light of the recently released Season 3 of Bridgerton.

Eloise Bridgerton Finds A Match Of Wits In Theo

Eloise is only 17 during the first season of Bridgerton when Daphne is introduced into society.
The Bridgerton TV series expanded on the family and their stories, unlike the Bridgerton book series which centers only on each Bridgerton sibling per book.
Giving depth to Eloise’s character and possible past heartbreak can move her plot forward, helping her grow as a character.

Eloise is still coming of age in Bridgerton, and part of that story comes with people around her questioning her interests and opinions, challenging them as fleeting or a phase. Eloise addresses this most pointedly with her mother, Violet; in Season 2, Episode 4, “Victory,” Eloise distinguishes her rebellion as a part of her, not an acquirement or an accomplishment. In that episode, Violet sets her daughter up with Lord Morrison, a man who supposedly has a “rebellious spirit” but crumbles under the conversation Eloise spurs. Where their ideals don’t align, Eloise finds an intellectual match in Theo Sharpe, a man of different socioeconomic status who attends feminist gatherings and admires Eloise’s mind.

Eloise and Theo also serve another purpose, which is to make Eloise grow as a character. Through most of Bridgerton’s first season, Eloise believes that love and marriage are not for her, and she seems to judge women who fall in love. Eloise gets obsessed with finding out Lady Whistledown’s identity, and Theo’s introduction in Season 2 sets the tone for Eloise to learn about love and attraction, and about heartbreak as well. Her interest in marriage and society’s expectations of women might not waver, but Eloise and Theo’s brief love story can open her eyes to what romance can mean for her, and what she looks for in a partner.

Since Season 1, Eloise pushes back against the expectations set for women in the Regency era and positions herself as a rebel with a cause, which is why she strives to uncover Lady Whistledown’s identity. It’s quite clandestine the way Eloise finds Theo as she tries to discover Whistledown. The pair’s meet-cute in Season 2, Episode 2, “Off to the Races,” captures how Eloise and Theo hold assumptions about the other upon first impression, only to learn they are far better suited than they imagine. From there, Eloise finds a connection that she’d never expected, literally and figuratively. Throughout the season, Eloise and Theo grow closer and discuss topics pertinent to them both, like women’s rights and shared books. This opens Eloise’s eyes to what true partnership can mean, and what it could feel like to find a love match, something Violet Bridgerton desperately wants for her children.

What’s more, Eloise’s friendship with Theo opened her world in terms of academia and principles. Eloise used to admire Lady Whistledown because she was a strong woman in a position of power. Whistledown also tended to attack the very society Eloise despises, so it made sense that Eloise would love the rebellious writer. However, when Theo shows Eloise a world beyond aristocracy, Eloise understands that true change comes from intellectual discussion and not gossip, which eventually fractures her relationship with Penelope.

Theo Sharpe Is Eloise’s First Love — Or First Great Affection

In Julia Quinn’s novel, To Sir Phillip, With Love, Eloise is already 28 by the time she marries.
Unlike her sisters who married young, Eloise was almost considered a spinster by society’s standards at the time, and her first heartbreak could be one of the reasons behind her long period as a single woman.

Eloise and Theo’s tearful farewell in Season 2, Episode 8, “The Viscount Who Loved Me,” comes after a consistent season of their dynamic developing and showcasing how much Theo means to Eloise. That first love, or first great affection, comes with the first heartbreak that crescendos with the discovery that her best friend plays a role in her relationship’s demise. That knowledge makes it harder to hear Eloise describe her connection with Theo as “one of the few good things in” her life. Those points unfolding in such quick succession are understandably tough for Eloise to reckon with. To Sir Phillip, With Love, doesn’t expand on Eloise’s years as a single lady of the ton, but her heartbreak in the Bridgerton series could influence some of her decisions moving forward, and give more depth to her story.

Eloise and Penelope’s friendship has always been a source of comfort and safety for both of them. Knowing the personal lengths that Penelope will go to as Lady Whistledown jeopardizes that. Still, that irreversible shift in their dynamic gives the show a rich story to explore, in which Penelope and Eloise are dynamic, imperfect characters who hurt each other even though they care so much about each other. Their rift is a major point for Season 3, since Bridgerton views Eloise and Penelope’s friendship with the same significance as any romance. Unlike the book, where Eloise learns about Penelope’s identity as Lady Whistledown with the rest of the ton, Bridgerton changes the context of their friendship and therefore adds new layers, which is widely explored in Season 3 of Bridgerton.

So, even though Theo may never return on-screen, his impact ripples throughout the show. First and foremost, Eloise learns a lot about herself and society during her time with Theo. No matter how short-lived, their connection visibly means a great deal to her. Whatever romantic path she takes next, whether with Phillip or someone else before him, the lasting impact of Eloise and Theo’s dynamic will remain significant. Just as Anthony, Benedict, and Colin have prior relationships that impact how they view love and life, so does Eloise.

Eloise’s Romance Could Differ From the Book in Her Own Season

So far, Bridgerton has changed a couple of plot points from the book series. Unlike the books, the TV shows give the audience more insight into the characters, as their storylines are important themes in the series, even when they’re not the main romance. What’s more, the show develops Lady Whistledown, gives Violet a new romance, and starts a friendship between Eloise and Cressida, all of which doesn’t appear in the books.

In the third season finale, Bridgerton hints at the biggest change from the books. So far, the series has maintained the main couples most like they are in the books. However, Season 3 introduces John Sterling’s cousin, Michaela Sterling — a gender-bent version of Michael Sterling, Franchesca’s romantic pairing in the book after John dies. This suggests that Franchesca will explore her sexuality when her Bridgerton season is released.

This could mean that a lot of the characters could have different storylines in Bridgerton. Eloise, as well, might not end up with Sir Philip, but with a different version of her character from the books. Netflix’s adaptation might even completely change her story, giving Theo Sharpe still a chance to become Eloise’s endgame.