What would the ending of Bridgerton season 1 look like if Daphne had married Prince Friedrich of Prussia instead of Simon? Portrayed by Phoebe Dynevor, the eldest Bridgerton daughter spends the majority of the first four episodes in romantic limbo, as she carries on a faux relationship with Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, but then marries him to prevent a public scandal in 1813 high society London. If Daphne had instead wed Queen Charlotte’s nephew, Prince Friedrich, it would have significantly changed the final half trajectory of Bridgerton season 1 and negatively impacted several characters.

In Bridgerton season 1, the arrival of Prince Friedrich (Freddie Stroma) in London forces Simon (Regé-Jean Page) to make some difficult decisions. The Duke initially plans to flee, rather than fight for Daphne’s heart, but eventually kisses her in a moment of passion. When her older brother, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), finds out, he challenges his former Oxford classmate to a duel, if only to protect the reputation of his family and sister. Meanwhile, Daphne interrupts the “affair of honor” and convinces Simon to marry her, as she knows that it’s their best available option. And just like that, Prince Friedrich is seemingly eliminated from the equation in Bridgerton season 1.

Prince Friedrich doesn’t necessarily become inconsequential in Bridgerton, evidenced by the fact that Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) has Daphne and Simon’s marriage license delayed. So, what would have happened during the climactic episodes if the influence of Buckingham Palace forced the eldest Bridgerton daughter into an arranged marriage with Prince Friedrich? For one, Daphne would’ve moved all the way to Berlin, Germany – the home turf for the Kingdom of Prussia. Of course, the aforementioned Stroma – who is best known as Cormac McLaggen from the Harry Potter movie franchise – would’ve had a more prominent role. In theory, a Daphne-Friedrich marriage in Bridgerton season 1 would have revealed less about those two characters and more about the supporting players. Here’s why.

Simon Would Return To His Old Ways

A Daphne-Prince Friedrich marriage would be devastating for Simon, the Duke of Hastings. After making so much emotional progress while dealing with painful childhood memories, a romantic rejection would cause him to return to his old ways, and potentially cause a tragic downward spiral. At the very least, Simon would retreat to a life of solitude, if only briefly, at the family home in Clyvedon, or remain in London for sexual healing. Daphne’s theoretical marriage to Prince Friedrich and departure to Berlin likely would have amplified Simon’s unresolved abandonment issues.

If Simon chose to stay in London after Daphne’s marriage, he would presumably link up with Siena Rosso (Sabrina Bartlett), Anthony’s ex-girlfriend. The Duke initially rejected the opera singer’s invite to one of her performances, as he was falling in love with Daphne and probably knew about her history with the viscount, but if Daphne had rejected him, it would be a different story. In that case, Anthony, as a viscount, might have used his power and influence to privately deal with the duke, as a duel proposal would mean that he’d have to publicly acknowledge his feelings for Siena (which he’s not ready to do because of her lower social standing). Simon could certainly chase after Daphne in Bridgerton season 2 , but the remaining episodes of the first installment would show his personal decline.

Anthony’s Stress Would Increase (Because Of Guilt)

If Daphne Bridgerton married Prince Friedrich and moved all the way to Berlin, Anthony would naturally feel a bit stressed as a concerned brother. Plus, given that the viscount suffers from an identity crisis throughout Bridgerton season 1, he would also be worried about his sister’s well-being as a princess. Anthony does indeed want Daphne to be taken care of, but has also shown a measure of control over his siblings. Since Anthony loves a woman of a lesser social standing, Siena, yet still must commit to his title, he suffers from a code complex that makes him especially volatile.

With a Daphne-Simon marriage, Anthony knows that he still has some control over the affair. Plus, he’s attended Oxford with the Duke, and so there’s a sense of trust and camaraderie between them. That wouldn’t be the case if Daphne ended up marrying Prince Friedrich, and the viscount would undoubtedly feel guilty about his sister living in a loveless marriage, assuming that she remained emotionally connected to the Duke. If Anthony’s life goal is to honor the legacy of his late father, then failing his sister would have a domino effect throughout the family, and throughout London society as a whole. Given that Lady Whistledown can easily expose anybody, the Bridgerton viscount can’t afford to make any mistakes.

The Queen Would Feel Even More Content And Powerful

Queen Charlotte doesn’t necessarily play a major role in Bridgerton season 1, but her power and influence looms over every one of the primary players. If Daphne married Prince Friedrich, and thus became part of the extended family, the Queen would have little patience for any poorly-behaved Bridgerton family members in London. Incidentally, the stakes become higher for Anthony in this theoretical scenario, and also for his younger brothers Colin (Luke Newton) and Benedict (Luke Thompson). If Daphne married Prince Friedrich, then the Bridgerton matriarch, Violet (Ruth Gemmell), would undoubtedly spend much more timing chatting with Queen Charlotte at Buckingham Palace. As it stands, though, the Queen remains a background character who shows that she’s willing to compromise under the right circumstances.

Eloise’s Stress Would Increase (Because Of Daphne)

In Bridgerton season 1, Eloise often expresses relief that she doesn’t have to immediately marry, showing that high society events can be especially stressful for her. If Daphne were to marry Prince Friedrich and leave London for good, then Eloise would undoubtedly receive more attention from Lady Whistledown. In general, Eloise often provides comic relief in the Netflix series, or at least demonstrates that she’s less concerned about all the pomp and circumstance than the rest of her family, and more invested in her personal interests. Daphne’s marriage to Prince Friedrich would force Eloise to grow up rather quickly.

Even though Eloise theoretically wouldn’t embarrass the family with scandalous behavior with Daphne not around, she has shown a tendency to be brash and socially unpolished. With the Queen watching, Eloise would have to be on especially good behavior and not offend anyone with her spontaneous decision-making. She’s not quite ready for marriage as a young woman, but everyone knows that she’s next in line. With Daphne not around to help in person, that would be yet another source of familial stress for Anthony.

Lady Whistledown Would Have Much More Gossip

Since Daphne’s theoretical marriage to Prince Friedrich would make her part of Queen Charlotte’s family, then Lady Whistledown would have much more gossip to write about. Any information that’s relayed from Berlin could be acquired by the columnist, and then used in London to reinforce her power and influence. Throughout Bridgerton season 1, Lady Whistledown is voiced by the iconic Julie Andrews and seemingly appears to be an older woman, yet the season finale reveals that she’s actually young Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), who has a major crush on Colin Bridgerton.

If Daphne had married Prince Friedrich in Bridgerton season 1, Penelope’s interest in Simon would’ve stayed the same, but she would have more opportunities to sway certain narratives. For example, Lady Whistledown exposes Marina Thompson (Ruby Barker) for hiding her pregnancy, which then breaks up her engagement to Colin, prompting Daphne to step in to protect everyone’s reputation. With Daphne out of the picture after theoretical marriage to Prince Friedrich, then Penelope/Lady Whistledown’s chances with Colin would seemingly improve. However, it would be quite ironic if Daphne – now living in Berlin – managed to somehow identify Lady Whistledown and then expose her from a privileged position in the Kingdom of Prussia.