Violet Bridgerton (books)

*This page is about the book character. For the Netflix character, see Violet Bridgerton*

## Familial Information

### Children

* Anthony Bridgerton
* Benedict Bridgerton
* Colin Bridgerton
* Daphne Basset
* Eloise Crane
* Francesca Stirling
* Gregory Bridgerton
* Hyacinth St. Clair

### Grand-children

*For a complete family tree, see the Bridgerton family tree*

### Others

* Alexandra Bridgerton *(mother-in-law)*
* Billie Bridgerton *(sister-in-law)*
* Georgie Bridgerton *(sister-in-law)*
* Hugo Bridgerton † *(brother-in-law)*
* Posy Reiling *(ward)*

*For a complete family tree, see the Bridgerton family tree*

## Appearances

### First

*The Duke and I*

**Violet Bridgerton** (*née* **Ledger**) is the mother of the eight Bridgerton children and the widow of Viscount Edmund Bridgerton.

## History

### Early Life

Violet was the only child of her parents, as well as their extended family. She was pampered with many gifts, as a result. When she was eight, she got doused by flour because of a prank played by Edmund Bridgerton, a boy visiting her neighbors. Furious, she tried to retaliate, but got caught by her father and her governess.

After making her debut, Violet did not have a bevy of suitors and considered herself a wallflower hanging around the edges of a ballroom without any dance partners. It was during a ball that she encountered Edmund again, now a handsome, young gentleman. She didn't recognize him until he mentioned the prank he pulled on her. He asked her to dance, and Violet accepted. They fell in love and married six months later. Their first child, Anthony, was born within the first year of their marriage.

### 1803

Edmund and Violet now had six more children – Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca and Gregory – and Violet was expecting their eighth child. Unlike other ton mothers, Violet nursed her children herself and spent time with them, rather than handing them off to maids or footmen. Edmund suddenly died from an allergic reaction to a bee sting when Violet was eight months pregnant. She was heartbroken by Edmund's death, and consoled herself with the hope that she would give birth to a boy that she would name after Edmund. Violet instead gave birth to a girl, but loved her daughter from the moment she was born. She named her Hyacinth after Edmund's favorite flower; Violet felt the fact that it fit perfectly with the alphabetical order of her children's names indicated it was meant to be.

### 1813

Violet is supervising her eldest daughter, Daphne, in her second season. When Lady Whistledown's gossip column comes out, Violet is annoyed by it, feeling that it is ruining Daphne's chances of getting married. At Lady Danbury's ball, Violet is introducing Daphne to several potential suitors when Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, comes and asks Daphne to dance. Violet is hopeful about the match, despite telling Daphne earlier to avoid Simon. When Simon comes by the next day while Daphne is entertaining other suitors, Violet quickly gets the other suitors to leave so Daphne will be left alone with Simon. Anthony tells Violet he doesn't approve, but Violet shuts down his disapproval, believing Simon is in love with Daphne.

Violet entertains Simon for dinner with the family that evening, and quickly puts Gregory and Hyacinth in their places for throwing food, which amuses Simon. She convinces Simon to join the family on a trip to Greenwich the next day. When Gregory accidentally causes both Anthony and Simon to fall into the water, Violet gets Daphne to stop them from fighting, knowing they will.

Daphne becomes engaged to Simon, thrilling Violet. The night before Daphne's wedding, Violet comes to her bedroom, and is very uncomfortable while trying to explain a marital relationship to her daughter. She fumbles her way through, and leaves Daphne even more confused than before.

Violet is shocked when Daphne returns less than a month after her wedding to London alone. She visits Daphne, who admits that Simon intentionally is staying away from her. Violet asks her daughter what happened to help her, but Daphne says she will be fine. Simon eventually returns, and is confronted by Anthony, Benedict, and Colin. Violet follows them to Hastings House, and scolds her sons before dragging them out.

### 1814

Violet hosts a musicale at Bridgerton House in London during the season, and meets Mary and Kate Sheffield. She's disappointed when Mary's other daughter, Edwina, doesn't come since she noticed that Anthony was interested in her. She still invites the entire Sheffield family for the country party she hosts at Aubrey Hall, along with every other eligible young lady, hoping one of her sons will be engaged by the end of the party. She also invites several men to even the numbers.

Violet was with Mary and Portia Featherington when she found Anthony and Kate in a compromising position in the Aubrey Hall gardens. Anthony explained that Kate was stung by a bee, and Violet realized Anthony panicked because of what happened to Edmund. Though Portia insists the two have to marry to avoid scandal, Anthony and Kate both refuse. When Violet realized that the guests could've seen what happened, she tells Anthony, who quickly agrees to marry Kate. Violet is relieved, and starts planning their wedding immediately.

Violet takes Kate shopping for her trousseau, often getting more than necessary. She hosts Kate and Anthony's wedding at Bridgerton House in London soon after, having them marry by special license to avoid any scandal.

### 1815

Kate and Anthony are expecting their first child, and Violet decides to move out of Bridgerton House in London so they can move in to make room for their growing family. At Hyacinth's suggestion, she holds a final masquerade ball at the house, where she dresses as Elizabeth I. She is asked by another man to dance, and agrees, but doesn't bother to find out his name, letting him go. The day after the ball, Benedict came to Violet with a glove of a woman he had met the night before. Violet identified it as the Penwood crest, and told Benedict where to find their residence. She moved out into her own dower house soon after with her younger children.

### 1817

Benedict brings a maid, Sophie Beckett, to Violet's house to help her find work. Violet brings her on as a lady's maid, but notices that Sophie's manners are indicative of the nobility class rather than a servant. She thinks Sophie looks familiar, and suspects she might be an illegitimate child. She vows to find out, and welcomes Sophie into the household with open arms.

Benedict comes to Violet, and admits that he's in love with Sophie. Violet knows that the ton will not accept Sophie, but assures Benedict that she'll always love and support him. Soon after, Sophie leaves the house due to an argument with Benedict. Violet understands, and insists on helping Sophie through her next steps, which Sophie reluctantly allows. Before Violet can call a carriage to transport her, Sophie disappears.

Benedict appears looking for Sophie, and both he and Violet find out from Francesca and Hyacinth that Sophie was arrested by Araminta Gunningworth, the Countess of Penwood. Violet insists on accompanying Benedict to the jail, where they find Sophie and Araminta. Araminta accuses Sophie of stealing, but Violet supports Sophie. Violet threatens Araminta to drop the charges or she'll use her influence to drive her out of the ton. Araminta's daughter, Posy Reiling, shows up and claims she was the one who stole from her mother.

Violet finds out that Sophie is the illegitimate daughter of Araminta's late husband, and realizes she recognized Sophie because she knew the Penwood family. When Posy reveals that Sophie had a dowry set aside by the late earl, Violet figures out that Araminta stole Sophie's dowry; she threatens to have her solicitors search for Sophie's dowry unless Araminta drops the charges and says that Sophie is a legitimate distant relative of the earl. Araminta agrees, but then Sophie asks Violet to help Posy avoid Araminta's rage. Violet offers to bring Posy to her home, and she agrees. When Araminta protests, Violet again threatens her with the solicitors, forcing Araminta to leave. Benedict and Sophie married, and Posy became Violet's ward.

She had many children in law, which she loved as her own. Violet took an interest in Penelope Featherington, and hoped one of her sons would marry her; Violet's wish came true when Colin married Penelope.

## Personality

Violet Bridgerton is the quintessential matriarch and ton matron. Endlessly endearing but stern when needed, Violet is a force of nature in both her household and the ton. As all her children become old enough to marry, Violet will do whatever it takes to achieve that end. For what she wants for them is what she herself was fortunate to find: a true love match.

## Relationships

### Romantic

#### Edmund Bridgerton

Violet married Edmund within her first year of debuting, and the two became inseparable. Violet was devoted to her husband during their 20 years of marriage, and loved him as much as he loved her. As much as Edmund chose to devote time to being a father to their children, Violet also was a devoted mother who raised them without relying on servants. Violet was heartbroken by Edmund's death, but that didn't stop her from being a loving mother to her children. She knew the joy and happiness of love through her marriage, and wants her children to find that love, as Edmund would've wished for. Violet never married again, and treasured the true love she shared with Edmund. Despite the tragedy of Edmund's sudden death, Violet cherished the memory and was glad to have been loved and to love Edmund.

### Familial

#### Daphne Basset

Violet was determined to see her eldest daughter get married, giving her lists of eligible men and parading her around for introductions at any ball they attended. But despite her matchmaking attempts, Violet wants Daphne to find a true love match and not feel pushed into an unhappy marriage. Her protectiveness of her daughter is evident when she refuses to accept a match between Simon and Daphne initially. But when Simon seemed to be seriously courting Daphne, Violet became nervous, hoping to help her daughter make a good impression. Violet was relieved when Daphne married Simon, but disheartened when Daphne returned to London alone. Despite the potential scandal, Violet hoped to help her daughter as a mother so she could be happy in her marriage.

#### Anthony Bridgerton

As her eldest son, Violet first attempts to do matchmaking for Anthony when he's old enough to marry. She still wants Anthony to find love, like she wishes for all her kids, and pushes him towards as many eligible young ladies as she can. Violet knows how much Edmund's death devastated Anthony and realizes the responsibility he carried from a young age. For that reason, she wants him to find happiness because he deserves to. While hosting the country party, Violet realizes that Anthony is reluctant to be at Aubrey Hall because it's where Edmund died, and the place is filled with memories. She still hopes he will find someone to marry. Though initially believing he's interested in Edwina, Violet also noticed Anthony's interest in Kate. After Violet caught Kate and Anthony together with Mary and Portia, she was the only one to understand and empathize with why Anthony panicked over Kate being stung by a bee. She still wanted to protect Kate and Anthony, and when she realized that others could've seen what happened, she warned Anthony of this. Violet was relieved when Anthony agreed to marry Kate out of honor, but she saw the love they shared and was happy for her son.

#### Benedict Bridgerton

Violet had been wanting her second eldest son, Benedict, to marry for years like all her other children, but she played an especially important role when he found someone to marry. He asked her to hire Sophie Beckett in her house, which she did, but she included her in teas with her daughters, hoping to find out her origins, as she and Benedict both suspected she could be connected to nobility. Benedict came by and admitted to Violet that he was in love with someone unsuitable, and Violet figured out that it was Sophie. She gave her full support for Benedict to marry Sophie. When Benedict found out Sophie was arrested just as he decided to marry her, Violet came to help him, intending to use her own influence to get Sophie released. At the jail, she went to toe-to-toe with Araminta and, in a rare moment, Violet used her status as a respected ton matron to make Araminta drop the charges against Sophie. She also concocted a backstory for Sophie's parentage so that her marriage to Benedict would be accepted by the ton, and forced Araminta to comply. Benedict was grateful to his mother for reuniting him and Sophie, and later named his daughter after her. Benedict and Sophie moved to the countryside to stay away from London; while Violet understood, she missed them often, but was glad that her son found love.

## Appearances

 **#02** | "The Viscount Who Loved Me"
 **#03** | "An Offer from a Gentleman"