Mothers and Mother Figures of Bridgerton: Portia Featherington
As we draw ever closer to Mother’s Day, we need to include a Bridgerton mother who knows no bounds when it comes to the safety and security of her family. You may see her as frenemies with Violet Bridgerton, you may see her as a master manipulator or superficial, but we all know her as Lady Portia Featherington.
Like Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury, Portia Featherington has had her fair share of struggles that she honestly rather take to the grave than have exposed to the ton. She may be the hardest working mother we’ve seen yet on the Netflix series and we’re extremely curious what drama would fall into her lap in season 3.
A mother lioness at her core, let’s take a look at Portia Featherington. Portia Featherington played by Polly Walker (Rome, Pennyworth) is quite the combination of intelligence, cunning and adaptability.
She’s very outspoken and doesn’t allow herself to be shut out or ignored. Season 1 introduced her and her three daughters as a very stuck up and flashy family.
Just who is the clever and cunning who always puts her family first, Portia Featherington on Bridgerton?
Out of all the costumes we’ve seen on the series, Portia’s seem to be the most different. Portia almost immediately acts like Lady Tremaine in the sense that wants her daughters, Prudence and Philippa specifically to be able to capture the hearts of the wealthiest men of the ton.
Although she might not be completely oblivious to the fact her daughters aren’t as elegant and talented as others in the ton. Both of her daughters act similarly to Anatasia and Drizella and believe this task will be easy for them.
Of course, the exact opposite happens. And yes, sadly Penelope is often ignored because she basically doesn’t fit and meet the standards of the time.
But we all know better. Already Portia appears mean and harsh to her daughters, rather catty to Violet Bridgerton which is nothing compared to the curveball that is thrown her way in the form of Marina. Her methods to save Marina are very unconventional but they would have worked if it weren’t for Lady Whistledown.
Portia’s actions to then have Marina marry her deceased true love’s brother were merely a last resort. She knew that if Marina did not marry there would be no future for her or her unborn child.
As much as Portia was harsh to Marina, at the end of the day, she wanted what was best for Marina. This last resort does work however we come to find in season 2 how unhappy Marina is in her marriage.
From what we can gather, as stressful and damaging as Marina’s situation was to Portia and her family, she was able to come up with multiple plans and worked through them as needed. At her core she is determined, and we can’t fault her for it.
Marina wasn’t even the worst of her struggles as she comes to find out her husband, who is supposed to care for his wife and family, is honestly a failure. He gambled away all their money, had several debts and even when he temporarily was able to obtain money to pay Philippa’s dowry in order to marry Mr. Finch, he gets killed.
Portia is left without a husband, an unknown heir and an even bigger unknown fate. Season 2 introduced the unknown heir as a man named Jack who while charismatic and later seemed to share feeling for Portia, initially did not want her involved in his duties.
She feared her family would be tossed to the streets so in an act of desperation, set up a situation with Prudence and Jack without a chaperone. The event causes the two to become engaged but that’s when it’s revealed Jack has no fortune.
His mines in America are worthless. So what does Portia do?
Tries to sell fake jewels for real ones to obtain investors for Jack’s mines. Yes, again, very unscrupulous of Portia but she’s not doing this for fun.
She’s doing this for her daughters. Portia was never selfish, she risks her own reputation repeatedly on the series.
Even when Jack asked her and her daughters to go to America with him she declined and planned it so her family would be set and safe from the repercussions to follow Jack and his fake jewels. It even broke her heart to do so.
But in Portia’s own words, “I am a mother”. That is why she had to be included in this years’ tributes to the mothers and mother figures of Bridgerton.
Shonda Rhimes is writing a behind-the-scenes Bridgerton book—and you can pre-order it now. dark. Next
What are your thoughts on Portia Featherington? Share them in the comments below, I’d love to read them!
Bridgerton is currently available to stream on Netflix.