A Bridgerton Season 3 Theory Predicts Eloise Will Marry Lord Debling

By now, you’ve probably rewatched the carriage scene 17 times and know that Colin and Penelope finally get together during Bridgerton Season 3. But of course, they had some helpers nudging them together, like Violet Bridgerton, who confronted her son about his feelings, and Lord Debling, whose imminent proposal to Penelope startled Colin into confessing how much he cared for her.

Through it all, Debling was never a bad guy — he just wasn’t Penelope’s guy. But might he be a match for a different Bridgerton character? According to recent fan theories, Eloise and Debling could be an unexpected pair to come out of Season 3.

Eloise & Debling... Kind Of Work?

While Eloise and Debling might not seem like an immediate match, they do complement each other. After all, Eloise is reluctant to wed (she once said that “marriage is, in fact, a prison for women”) and isn’t super into the ton’s social scene.

Debling is also a bit of an outsider. He prefers nature to people, describes his vision for marriage as “a practical match, but a happy one,” and envisions his wife doing her own thing while he’s off exploring the world.

As someone who values her independence, Eloise could certainly benefit from an arrangement like that. As one user on X (formerly Twitter) put it, “That would leave Eloise with plenty of time to lead the feminist uprising.”

“Eloise doesn’t want to be a wife and Lord Debling wants an independent woman while he is away for years,” one fan wrote. “They should settle together.” Similarly, another noted that Debling “totally seems like he would just let her do whatever she wants.”

Over on Reddit, a fan said while they “know it won’t happen,” they could see Eloise and Debling working out. “When he is away she would have her independence and time to read,” they continued. “As a married noble woman with significant means she would have far more freedom to discuss feminist ideals.”

The Bridgerton Books Say Otherwise

So, what’s the likelihood of this actually happening? Sam Phillips, the actor who plays Debling, did tell the Daily Express that this may not be the end of the road. “All I know is that there’s a possibility that Debling could come back in the future,” he said. “And that is all I will say at this point — I can’t give any more than that.” OK, intriguing!

But for now, don’t count on Eloise and Debling being endgame. The main reason is that Eloise marries Sir Phillip Crane in the Bridgerton books — and so far, the show hasn’t diverged so far from the page to change a love interest entirely.

Interestingly, though, there are several similarities between Eloise’s book relationship and her theorized connection with Debling.

For example, both Debling and Crane love their plants! And Eloise and Crane’s story leans into the marriage-of-convenience trope. While it does end with true love, it doesn’t sound too far off from fan theories about her and Debling.