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Bridgerton<\/em><\/strong><\/a>\u2018s author Julia Quinn<\/strong> has released a statement on some of the fan backlash from season three\u2019s major change to Francesca\u2019s story.<\/p>\n We will be revealing spoilers throughout this article, so be warned!<\/p>\n At the end of season three, after Francesca, portrayed by Hannah Dodd<\/strong><\/a> on the show, marries John, portrayed by Victor Alli<\/strong><\/a>, they meet his cousin, Michaela, portrayed by Masali Baduza<\/strong><\/a>. In the original book series, Francesca\u2019s husband John dies, and she goes on to eventually marry his cousin, Michael.<\/p>\n The Bridgerton <\/em>showrunner, Jess Brownell<\/strong>, decided to change the character of Michael to Michaela, which will seemingly lead to a queer storyline for the characters.<\/p>\n Some fans have not been happy with this switch, as it\u2019s a departure from the original book \u201cWhen He Was Wicked.\u201d <\/p>\n Now, Julia Quinn<\/strong> is responding.<\/p>\n Keep reading to find out more\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Read Julia Quinn\u2019s entire statement on the Bridgerton gender swap below\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n On Facebook<\/a>, she wrote, \u201cMany Bridgerton <\/em>fans have expressed their surprise, and for some, disappointment in the twist at the end of Bridgerton <\/em>Season 3<\/a>\u2013that Michael Stirling, with whom Francesca eventually falls in love in \u201cWhen He Was Wicked,\u201d would instead be Michaela.\u201d<\/p>\n She continued, \u201cAnyone who has seen an interview with me from the past four years knows that I am deeply committed to the Bridgerton <\/em>world becoming more diverse and inclusive as the stories move from book to screen. But switching the gender of a major character is a huge change, and so when Jess Brownell<\/strong> first approached me<\/a> with the idea of turning Michael into Michaela for the show, I needed more information before conferring my agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n She added, \u201cI trust Shondaland\u2019s vision for Bridgerton<\/em>, but I wanted to be sure that we could remain true to the spirit of the book and of the characters. Jess <\/strong>and I talked for a long time about it. More than once. I made it clear that it was extremely important to me that Francesca\u2019s abiding love for John be shown on screen. When I wrote \u201cWhen He Was Wicked\u201d I actually had to fight to have the first four chapters, which establish that love, included. My publisher was worried that writing about Fran\u2019s love for John would take away from Michael\u2019s role as the eventual romance novel hero. But I felt that if I didn\u2019t show how deeply she loved John, and how deeply Michael, his cousin, also loved him, then their feelings of guilt at falling in love with each other after John\u2019s death made no sense. I didn\u2019t want to just tell the reader that they loved him. I wanted the reader to feel it.\u201d<\/p>\n Julia <\/strong>then shared, \u201cI\u2019m confident now that when Francesca has her Bridgerton <\/em>season, it will be the most emotional and heart-wrenching story of the show, just like When He Was Wicked has always been the true tear-jerker of the Bridgerton <\/em>book series. Honestly, it may pack even more of a punch, since John is getting a lot more time on the screen than he ever did on the page, and I think it\u2019s fair to say we\u2019ve all fallen a little bit in love with him.\u201d<\/p>\n She concluded, \u201cThank you to readers and fans for your feedback. I am grateful for your understanding and touched by your deep commitment to the characters of the Bridgerton <\/em>world. I ask that you grant me and the Shondaland team some faith as we move forward. I think we are going to end up with two stories, one on page and one on screen, and they will both be beautiful and moving.\u201d<\/p>\n Find out who might be exiting the series ahead of season four\u2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n