How 'Bridgerton' stars Luke 'Benedict' Thompson and Harriet 'Phillippa' Cains' romance blossomed behind the scenes

LONDON, ENGLAND: All the romance in ‘Bridgerton’ is not happening on-screen, some are blossoming off-screen too!

Benedict Bridgerton might still be waiting for his happily ever after in the popular Netflix drama, but that hasn’t prevented Luke Thompson from embarking on his real-life romance as he has apparently found love in Harriet Cains. 

Brewing romance between Luke Thompson and Harriet Cains

‘Bridgerton: Season 3’ might end with a Bridgerton-Featherington marriage, but there is another romance brewing between the two families, at least in real life.

Per Daily Mail, Thompson, 35, who stars as Benedict Bridgerton, is dating Harriet Cains, 30, who plays the role of Penelope’s sister, Philippa Featherington.

Even though the duo hardly ever had any scene in the show, the romance blossomed offscreen as the rumored couple often appeared together at show business parties.

In January 2024, Thompson attended the Vanity Fair Rising Stars party with Cains where they were looking quite loved up. 

Even though the pair have not addressed the rumors yet, in 2021, Cains aired her admiration for Thompson publicly when she shared a picture of the actor’s face dotted with heart emojis, and writing, “My favourite Luke soz @lukenewtonuk," per Hello! Magazine.

In the third season of the popular Netflix show, Benedict’s character gets a taste of diverse sexuality after kissing a man.

This was not the first time, however, when he experimented with sexuality on-screen. Previously, he played a gay character in ‘A Little Life’s’ play adaptation.

Commenting on his role, Thompson shared in an interview with Time Out magazine, “Why do you have to set the record straight? Let people think what they want to think… It’s a complicated debate.”

“There’s value in the authenticity [of having an LGBTQ+ actor in a role]. But also, the whole point of acting is that you step into someone else’s experience,” added the actor.

Thompson continued, “Theatre is a conversation. It’s meant to be provocative and get people talking. It’s about putting a problem on a table and asking, ‘What do we think about this?’ The more heated the better, because that’s its purpose.”

Other real-life 'Bridgerton' couples

Thompson and Cains are, nevertheless, not the only ‘Bridgerton’ stars who are dating. It has been rumored that Claudia Jessie, who plays Eloise Bridgerton, is dating the show's casting director Cole Edwards.

Moreover, Bessie Carter, who plays Phillippa’s sister Prudence, is dating the show’s newcomer Sam Phillips, who stars as Lord Debling. It is rumored that they have secretly moved in together after falling in love on set.

Carter, who is the daughter of Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter, took Phillips to the Wonka premiere in November 2023.