Daphne Basset (books)

*This page is about the book character. For the Netflix character, see Daphne Basset*

## Familial Information

### Children

* Amelia Basset
* Belinda Basset
* Caroline Basset
* David Basset
* Edward Basset

### Siblings

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

### Parents

* Violet Bridgerton
* Edmund Bridgerton †

### Grandparents

* Alexandra Bridgerton
* Lord Bridgerton

### Grand-children

* Charles Joliffe
* Thomas Joliffe
* May Butler
* Henry Findlay-Watt
* Victoria Findlay-Watt

### Others

* Billie Bridgerton *(aunt)*
* Hugo Bridgerton † *(uncle)*
* Georgiana Bridgerton *(aunt)*

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

**Daphne Basset** (*née* **Bridgerton**) is the fourth Bridgerton child and eldest daughter.

## History

### Early Life

Daphne is the fourth child of Edmund and Violet Bridgerton. She was born 18 months after her older brother, Colin. She was ten when Edmund suddenly died and was the one who told her oldest brother, Anthony, the news.

Daphne debuted into London, but was quickly rejected by many suitable men, who considered her too friendly to be a wife. She had four proposals, and rejected all of them, the last two being from Lord Chalmers and Nigel Berbrooke.

### 1813

Daphne is now in her second season when the mysterious Lady Whistledown starts publishing her column. Despite her rejection of Berbrooke, he continually pursues Daphne, asking for her hand in marriage. During Lady Danbury's ball, she tries to avoid him with the help of her brothers, but when Philippa Featherington loudly announces her presence, she runs and tries to hide in the retiring room. Unfortunately, Berbrooke finds her before she can, and begs her to marry him again. Daphne tries to turn him down kindly, but when he grabs her, she's forced to defend herself and knocks Berbrooke out cold. A man comes up just as Daphne punches Berbrooke, and introduces himself as Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings who's recently returned to London.

Daphne returns inside, and Violet immediately starts introducing her to other eligible gentlemen at the ball. She bears the tedious task. Simon comes over and introduces himself, then asks Daphne to dance. She gladly accepts, and Simon tells Daphne that he told her brothers a story about how they met each other to protect Daphne's honor. She tells Simon why she's failed to secure any worthwhile offers. Simon then suggests an arrangement: he and Daphne pretend to court so that he'll be left alone by the debutantes' mothers, and Daphne can attract more suitors; Daphne agrees to the plan. The next day, Daphne is visited by six men, which had never happened before. Simon also comes over, paying a call at Daphne's request. Anthony sees, and is not happy to know that Simon, his school friend, is courting Daphne. Daphne and Simon agree to tell Anthony about their arrangement. Though skeptical at the plan, Anthony agrees to play along.

By Lady Trowbridge's ball, the two have only met at balls, drawing skepticism at their courtship by the ton. Daphne sadly admits during to herself that she's fallen for Simon, and does not know how to continue the fake arrangement. She's surprised when Colin tells her that Simon is at the ball. Simon greets Daphne, and they're both greeted the Duke of Middlethorpe, an old friend of Simon's father. He gives Simon letters written by his father before he died, but Simon coldly refuses to take them. Daphne is surprised, but when Middlethorpe asks her to take them to keep safe, she agrees.

Daphne talks to Simon on the terrace at the Trowbridge ball, but she can't avoid her feelings for him and walks into the garden. Simon follows her to prevent her honor being ruined, and the two end up close together. Simon kisses Daphne, and she kisses him back. They're caught making out by Anthony, who beats up Simon and demands he marry Daphne. Simon refuses, and agrees to meet Anthony for a duel at dawn. Daphne is distressed at the thought of Simon dying, and tries to find a way to stop him. When Colin reveals that someone saw her and Simon going into the garden, Daphne gets his help to find the location and stop the duel. There, she tells Simon to marry her or she will be ruined. Simon tells her that he can't marry her because he can't have children. Not wanting Simon to die, Daphne agrees to marry him, even if she doesn't have children.

Daphne and Simon marry soon after, and head to Clyvedon Castle, the Hastings ancestral home. Simon heeds Daphne's advice to not be on the road late at night, and stops at an inn. Since they changed their plan last minute, the inn only has one room available, which Daphne has no problem with, but Simon does. Due to her mother's vague explanation about marital relations, Daphne believes Simon is impotent. She awkwardly admits that to Simon, who corrects her thought and assures Daphne that he is not impotent. He pulls her close, and the two give in to their desire, making love on their wedding night. They come to Clyvedon and Daphne experiences the joys of marital relations while learning her duties as the Duchess of Hastings. She tries to get Simon to open up about his childhood, but when he refuses, she asks Mrs. Colson, the housekeeper. Mrs. Colson tells Daphne that Simon stuttered as a child, and his father rejected him for not being perfect. Daphne is shocked, and feels bad for Simon. She tells him that night that she loves him, hoping he will no longer feel alone. After they make love, though, Daphne realizes that Simon is pulling out of her so she doesn't conceive. She confronts him, and he claims he told her that he can't have children, but she says he won't, which is different. Simon tells her he won't have a child to end the Hastings line as revenge against his father. They argue, which leads to Simon leaving and Daphne crying.

Daphne tries to get Simon to open up to her the next day, but he refuses. Deciding he will not change his mind, Daphne moves into a separate bedroom and locks Simon out. Simon comes to her bedroom, furious, and demands she move back to the duke's bedroom. Daphne refuses, saying if he will shut himself off from her, she can do the same. Simon says he can force her to move back, but Daphne says he won't hurt her like that. Simon leaves, angry. He returns early the following morning, drunk. Daphne lets Simon in, and realizes he's too drunk to function. She helps him into her bed so he can sleep. Daphne realizes that Simon still desires her, despite being drunk and sleepy. She gets an idea and makes love to him while he's asleep. At his climax, Simon releases into Daphne just as he wakes up. Simon is furious and gets angry at Daphne for what she did and leaves the room. Daphne gets a letter from Simon hours later that he's left, and to let him know if she's pregnant. Lonely at Clyvedon, Daphne decides to go back to London to be near her family.

Though initially going to Bridgerton House, Daphne feels ashamed to go to her family's house and instead goes to Hastings House, which is right across the square. Her family finds out and comes over, wanting to know where Simon is. Her brothers are furious at Simon, while her mother tries to comfort Daphne. Two months after arriving, Daphne's courses haven't come, and she thinks she's pregnant. She writes a letter to Simon just as Anthony visits her. He says he'll kill Simon for hurting Daphne, but Daphne threatens to never speak to him again. He notices the letter, and says he'll deliver it. Daphne agrees, but only if Anthony agrees not to hurt Simon. Anthony relents, and Daphne hands him the letter.

Daphne is out riding when Simon returns to London. She hears him coming, but believing him to be another ton member, Daphne tries to ride away to be alone. She ends up falling off her horse, and Simon finds her. He's immediately concerned, but Daphne says she's uninjured. Simon yells at her for putting their unborn baby at risk. Daphne then tells him she's not pregnant. She found out after she sent the letter to Simon, and is heartbroken. Simon says he misses her, and wants to make her happy, but doesn't know how to let his hatred for his father go. Daphne says he can, because he deserves to be happy. Simon agrees, and they both head home.

At Hastings House, they find her brothers Anthony, Benedict, and Colin waiting for them to talk to Simon. Daphne is furious, but they won't leave until Simon proves he loves her. Simon pulls Daphne aside, and lets her know that he loves her. Violet comes over, and drags her sons out while Simon and Daphne happily reunite. Daphne gives Simon his father's letters later, but he decides to keep them away and focus on his future with Daphne.

### 1814

Daphne attends her mother's country party at Aubrey Hall with Simon. They play Pall Mall with Anthony, Colin, and Kate and Edwina Sheffield, two sisters and guests for the event. Daphne bonds with Kate, who shows a competitive spirit for Pall Mall similar to the Bridgertons. She tells Kate to help send Anthony's ball into the lake as revenge for the last time he did the same to Daphne. Kate is able to do so, delighting Daphne. Simon later reveals Daphne is pregnant. Daphne gives birth a girl; following her family's tradition, Daphne and Simon name their daughter Amelia.

### 1815

Daphne is expecting her second child when Violet hosts her grand masquerade ball the following year. She has another daughter named Belinda.

### 1817

Daphne and Simon have another daughter, Caroline, and Daphne announces to her family that she is expecting her fourth child during the social season in London. She later gives birth to her first son, whom she and Simon name David.

### 1833-34

Daphne's three daughters have made their debuts, and are looking to get married. Daphne, to her shock, discovers she's pregnant again. Though initially in disbelief, her maid, Maria, tells her that she's definitely pregnant after Daphne throws up. When Colin visits with his wife, Penelope, and their four children, Daphne finds out they came to talk to Simon because their youngest child, George, could also have a stuttering problem. Daphne later finds Simon about to open up his father's letters, wondering if they can help Colin and Penelope in some way. Daphne helps him, but they don't find any useful information. Simon finally burns the letters, and tells Daphne their family is the only thing that matters now. Daphne later gives birth to a second son named Edward.

### 1841

By her mother's 75th birthday, Daphne is not only a mother to five children, but a grandmother to five grandchildren through her daughters.

## Personality

Growing up in the Bridgerton family, Daphne was surrounded by love and joy, and hopes to marry and have a family as wonderful as her own. As the eldest daughter, Daphne feels pressure to make a good match so her younger sisters will also marry well. But the more she's exposed to the real world and London society, Daphne realizes she will face many challenges; her only hope is that the love she knows and has experienced will be the key to conquering those challenges.

## Relationships

### Romantic

#### Simon Basset

Daphne met Simon, and was instantly smitten by him. She was afraid of what she felt, having never known how it feels to love a man. When he suggested pretending to court, Daphne was skeptical, but agreed to the plan and found herself inundated with suitors like she never had been before. Still, it was Simon's company she would seek out. Daphne realized she had fallen in love with Simon, but since Simon never planned to marry, she felt that her feelings would never be reciprocated. When Daphne and Simon were caught in a compromising position, but Simon refused to marry her, Daphne believed he did not love her, and was heartbroken. But when she begged Simon to marry her and preserve her honor, Simon explained that he can't have children, something Daphne has always wanted. Not willing to live with Simon's death, Daphne agreed to marry him and give up on being a mother. After their marriage, Daphne discovered that Simon wanted her just as much as she wanted him, and was hopeful he also loved her. She then found out about his father's rejection, and realized he'd never known the love of a family the way she had, pitying Simon. However, when she discovered that he was intentionally making sure that Daphne didn't conceive, she was furious and tried to convince him not to give up on children to spite his father. When Simon refused, Daphne felt his hate for his father was stronger than his love for her, and she pushed him away. After Simon leaves when Daphne purposely tries to get pregnant, Daphne wonders if they'll ever be able to overcome the hardships of their marriage. Simon returns, though, and they reunite when Daphne convinces him to let go of his hatred. Simon eventually declares his love for her, and Daphne is happy to know she has found a love match, as she always wished for.

### Familial

#### Violet Bridgerton

Daphne grew up, watching both her mother and father, and was always enthralled by the love they shared. She also admired Violet's loving, caring instincts as a mother, and wished to be a mother as good as Violet. Violet is aggressive when Daphne comes of age, trying her best to do matchmaking, but Daphne knows it's because her mother loves her and is trying to do what's best for her. Even when Daphne's marriage to Simon seems to be in trouble, Violet tries to help Daphne so she will be happy rather than out of avoiding scandal. Daphne wants to be able to be as strong and caring as Violet, but sometimes, she needs her mother's gentle guidance to help navigate the real world.

#### Colin Bridgerton

Daphne and Colin are quite close; being closest in age. Colin comes to her for advice on his love life when he was falling for his future wife, Penelope.

#### Anthony Bridgerton

As the eldest daughter and son, Daphne and Anthony understand the pressure of leading and setting an example for their family. They both had to deal with their mother aggressively matchmaking for them at the same time, and bonded over the pressure. But Daphne is not afraid to tease her brother or make fun of him, despite being the head of the family. When he objected to her and Simon's courtship, Daphne put Anthony in his place, reminding him that she needed to marry, and that Simon was helping to increase her prospects. Daphne was afraid of Anthony's reaction when she returned to London alone after her marriage to Simon. Sure enough, Anthony expressed his anger and wish to kill Simon for hurting her, but Daphne kept him in line, telling him to not hurt Simon or he'd lose her forever as a sister. Despite Anthony's protectiveness, Daphne loves him and knows he only wants her to be happy.

## Appearances

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