Prudence Featherington (Netflix)

*This page is about the Netflix character. For the book character, see Prudence Featherington*

## Familial Information

### Siblings

* Philippa Finch
* Penelope Featherington

### Parents

* Archibald Featherington †
* Portia Featherington

### Others

* Marina Crane *(cousin)*
* Jack Featherington *(fourth cousin; ex-fiancé)*
* Albion Finch *(brother-in-law)*

## Appearances

### Portrayed by

Bessie Carter

**Prudence Featherington** is the eldest Featherington daughter.

## History

### 1813 Social Season

Prudence had been unsuccessful in securing her husband during her first two years after her debut, so she was preparing for a third try. Prudence, along with her two younger sisters, were presented in front of the queen. They had difficulty walking, as their mother had strapped them all very tightly into corsets. This led to Prudence fainting in front of the queen, starting the season on the wrong foot. Despite this, Lady Featherington was determined to find husbands for her daughters and hastened to introduce them to Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, when she saw him at an event. This was not helped by the arrival of Marina Thompson, a very attractive distant cousin of theirs. The morning after the ball, a slew of callers arrived at the Featherington house, but they were all there to see Marina.

When the Featherington sisters learned Marina was pregnant, they wondered why Marina was being kept away from them, secluded in her own room. Their mother told them her condition was catching.

When Prince Friedrich came to town, Prudence gossiped with her sister about his presence.

Prudence went to a party thrown by Lady Trowbridge with her parents and sisters. She helped console Philippa when a suitor she liked, Albion Finch, was scared off by their father.

Philippa and Prudence sat in the room as their mother confronted their father over the modiste's bill not being paid.

When Marina became engaged, Prudence and Philippa were excited and wanted Colin to introduce them to his friends. They were also jealous that she got go to the modiste for new garments.

When news broke that Marina was pregnant and had been since before her arrival, the engagement was quickly called off. The Featheringtons were left shrouded in scandal. Despite this, Lady Featherington took her daughters to the queen's luncheon, to which they'd received an invitation before the scandal. They weren't at the luncheon for long before Brimsley came and told them on the queen's behalf that they had to leave.

Lady Featherington managed to swing an invitation to an upcoming ball for herself and her daughters. But because they had no credit at the modiste, Lady Featherington said they'd have to wear dresses they'd worn before. Prudence said she would rather not go than do that. However, Lord Featherington came home with his winnings from a rigged fight, which gave them the money to buy new dresses for the ball.

After the ball, Prudence was annoyed by Philippa's continuous gushing over Mr. Finch. However, this quickly stopped when they arrived home to a somber mood. They learned that Lord Featherington had died and the Bow Street Runners had questions.

After Marina accepted her fate and accepted Philip Crane's proposal, the Featheringtons saw her off to her new life.

### 1814 Social Season

After her father's death, Prudence's mother struggled to make ends meet while waiting for the heir to arrive. She also wanted to find matches for Prudence and Penelope quickly so the heir wouldn't try to have input on that.

Prudence was heard singing while Penelope hid money under the floorboards. She entered Penelope's room and questioned why it was so quiet. She accused Penelope of being boring and found a letter than Penelope had been writing to Colin. She told her mother about it and made fun of Penelope.

After the queen's ball, the family returned home to meet Jack Featherington, the heir to their father's estate. He said he'd paid Philippa's dowry and had Portia's things moved out of what was now his bedchamber.

### Philippa's Wedding

As they started planning Philippa's wedding, Prudence quickly became annoyed by the wedding talk. She later attended the wedding, which was small, with only their immediate family attending.

### Seducing Jack

Portia began to fret over Jack's interest in Cressida Cowper, fearing that him getting married would lead to her and her daughters being put out onto the streets. She decided to find someone malleable to match with Jack, someone she could manipulate. She realized Prudence was the perfect candidate and quickly got Prudence to agree. To help with the seduction, Portia took Prudence to Genevieve to have the bust of her dress lowered and when Genevieve refused to lower it past what was proper, she took Prudence to a different modiste. Then she coached Prudence in how to seduce Jack, though Jack ignored all of Prudence's attempts and simply said he'd invited the Cowpers over for dinner. At the dinner, Portia tried to draw Jack's attention off Cressida and onto Prudence, but her efforts failed and Jack made plans to promenade with Cressida later in the week.

Despite Jack's interest in Cressida, Portia still wanted Prudence to try to seduce him. When Prudence wasn't aggressive or quick enough, Portia forced a situation where they would be alone together and then led a crowd to find them, forcing Jack to offer his hand to Prudence to preserve her honor.

Prudence told Penelope she was excited to be engaged and wondered if Lady Whistledown would write about it. Penelope was shocked at her enthusiasm, but Prudence believed she was just jealous.

Prudence eagerly shared the news of her wedding and the plans for it with the other young ladies. While Prudence was at the modiste getting her trousseau, she expressed that she was upset that Edwina and Anthony's wedding would overshadow her own.

At the lake, Prudence rode in a boat with Jack and called attention to herself.

One evening, as they sat at home, Prudence got upset, saying she wanted to show off her fiancé, but they hadn't been invited to anything. Penelope suggested that the engagement had put them back on the outs.

### Anthony and Edwina's Wedding

Wanting to draw people's attention to Jack's mines in order to persuade them to invest, Portia had Mrs. Varley put one of Jack's counterfeit necklaces on Prudence's neck for her to show off. Prudence complained about the weight, but Portia simply said it was heavy because it was valuable.

Prudence attended Anthony and Edwina's wedding with her mother, sister, and Jack. After the wedding was abruptly called off in the middle of the ceremony, Prudence and the other guests were all moved out to the gardens, where Prudence became entranced by a living statue, stopping to mimic the statue's movements.

### Return to Good Standing

As Jack started to make deals with the men of the ton, the Featherington family returned to good standing. They promenaded one day and were surprised to see the Bridgertons out in public so soon after their own scandal.

### Featherington Ball

With all the money Jack had conned out of the ton, Portia decided to throw an elaborate ball. Mrs. Varley asked about the Bridgertons and Sharmas. Philippa and Prudence liked the idea of the drama of it all. Portia said to invite both families, though she was certain they wouldn't come. At the ball, Prudence stood with her mother and sister to watch the fireworks her mother had arranged.

## Personality

Ferociously storming the marriage mart for a third season, Prudence is already considered "on the shelf." Perhaps it's because the eldest Featherington girl has not one nice bone her body - though never she, nor her mother, would ever admit it.

## Relationships

### Romantic

#### Jack Featherington

Her mother convinced her to win over Jack Featherington, their fourth cousin, in order for them to become wealthy again by marriage. Her mother even resorted to having her daughter be caught alone with Jack in order for them to have no choice but to marry. Their engagement ended up breaking off as Jack Featherington was planning on going to America being exposed as a grifter.

### Familial

#### Portia Featherington

Portia Featherington is Prudence’s mother. She is eager to find Prudence a match, especially after her husband's death. She arranged for Prudence to marry Jack to keep her and the rest of them secure, even setting up a misunderstanding to put him on the spot so he'd have to marry her. When Jack wishes to call off the engagement to pursue Cressida Cowper instead for her money, Portia refuses, as it would embarrass Prudence.

#### Philippa Finch

Philippa is Prudence's younger sister. They are both seen to be eager to find a good match in the 1813 social season, and eager to do what it takes to secure such a match. However, Prudence is heavily implied to be envious when Philippa secures a match before she does, often glaring jealously at Philippa and Albion Finch, Philippa's suitor, when they are together.

## Notes and Trivia

* Prudence is not very intelligent, which has been shown on several occasions.
	+ Prudence said she would be "putrefied" if Philippa managed to marry Albion Finch, instead of "petrified."
	+ Portia and Mrs. Varley are aware of her lack of intelligence. Portia was concerned that once Jack Featherington found a wife, she and her daughters would be cast onto the streets. Portia said finding a wife for Jack who is malleable and stupid enough to not know any better, and does not know how to manage a household would give them the best chance of staying in their home. As soon as Prudence walked through the door, Portia and Mrs. Varley instantly realized she fit this criteria.
	+ She does not sing well, but she is completely unaware of this and believes that she is good as singing. While dining with the Cowpers, she repeatedly offered to sing to attract Jack's attention.

## Appearances

 **#02** | "Shock and Delight"
 **#03** | "Art of the Swoon"

 **#02** | "Off to the Races"
 **#03** | "A Bee in Your Bonnet"

## References

1. ↑ Diamond of the First Water, 1x01
2. ↑ Shock and Delight, 1x02
3. ↑ Art of the Swoon, 1x03
4. ↑ An Affair of Honor, 1x04
5. ↑ The Duke and I, 1x05
6. ↑ Swish, 1x06
7. ↑ Oceans Apart, 1x07
8. ↑ After the Rain, 1x08
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Capital R Rake, 2x01
10. ↑ Off to the Races, 2x02
11. ↑ A Bee in Your Bonnet, 2x03
12. ↑ Victory, 2x04
13. ↑ An Unthinkable Fate, 2x05
14. ↑ The Choice, 2x06
15. ↑ Harmoney, 2x07
16. ↑ The Viscount Who Loved Me, 2x08
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 A Bee in Your Bonnet, 2x03
18. ↑ Swish, 1x06