Warning: This post has spoilers for Bridgerton season 4, part 2.
Bridgerton fans were wrecked in season 4 by a major character death.
John Stirling, the husband of Bridgerton sister Francesca, died in the back half of the season.
“John doesn’t know he’s gonna die. I know he is, but he doesn’t know,” actor Victor Alli told Cosmopolitan of his character’s onscreen demise. “To do anything differently would make it sort of seem like, ‘This is really strange. Why is he acting so different?’ So I tried to keep it as normal as possible and not try to embellish.”
After John’s death, Francesca (Hannah Dodd) was left grieving the loss alongside both of their families.
Keep scrolling to learn more about John Stirling’s death:
Why Does John Stirling Die in ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4?
John Stirling, who is the Earl of Kilmartin, died in his sleep after navigating a series of “headaches” earlier in Bridgerton. His death is a central story line in Francesca’s book, When He Was Wicked. (Julia Quinn wrote an eight-book regency romance series about a group of siblings and their journeys to find love matches in 1800s England.)
Quinn confirmed in an author’s note at the end of When He Was Wicked that John died of a “ruptured cerebral aneurysm.”
“Cerebral aneurysms are congenital weak spots in the walls of blood vessels in the brain,” she wrote. “They may lie dormant for many years or they may rapidly enlarge and then rupture, leading to bleeding in the brain, which can be followed by unconsciousness, coma and death. … Nothing could have been done to save [John].”
Quinn further pointed out that, in the 19th century, it would be highly unlikely for John to have an autopsy to confirm his diagnosis.
“John’s death would have remained a mystery to those who loved him,” the author stated. “All Francesca would ever know was that her husband had a headache, laid down and died.”
What Is Next for Francesca After John’s Death?
As Francesca planned John’s funeral, the House of Lords sought to arrange his affairs to discover who would inherit his Kilmartin earldom. The title was passed down to John’s cousin Michael in Julia Quinn’s book When He Was Wicked; however, the character has been gender-swapped to Michaela (Masali Baduza) onscreen.
In the 1800s, women were not included in the lines of succession, so it is unclear how the Netflix series plans to reallocate John’s earldom. Even so, Quinn promised Us Weekly in May 2025 that the show’s Francesca-led season will be “heart-wrenching.”
“I think it’s gonna be great, and I think anything that allows more people to see themselves in the story is a good thing,” Quinn told Us of the upcoming queer love story. “I don’t know exactly everything [about the script], but I have some sense of what’s gonna happen. I think it’s gonna be a heart-wrenching, emotional season, which is what When He Was Wicked was.”
She continued, “Out of all the novels, that’s the one that really is a little bit apart [and] it’s quite different than the other ones. I think we’re going to get all those emotions with the season, and I couldn’t be more excited.”
When He Was Wicked and Eloise’s novel, To Sir Philip, With Love, are set to be the inspirations for Bridgerton season 5 and 6 in a to-be-determined order.
What Has Victor Alli Said About His Character’s Death and Impact on Francesca?
“Her relationship with John will allow her to be more bold,” Victor Alli told Cosmopolitan in February 2026. “Season 3 was a real journey for the both of us learning how to not just declare our love but to be bold in a society where everyone is so outspoken, with these massive personalities, doing things a certain way as far as having passionate, hot sex. John and Fran were so different in their approach to love and their relationship and marriage, and the gradual process of things is, I think, more sustainable.”
He added, “Hopefully in her future relationships, she wouldn’t need to rush or do things the way society does it, but take her time and do it her way, because it’s not wrong; it’s just different, and that’s fine.”
Alli further stressed that John was among the great loves of Francesca’s life.
“Well, he’s her first love. There was a connection right away,” he told the outlet. “This is interesting because with what’s happening next season and seasons to come, and if people have read the books. … I remember reading a part of the book and it says that John is her true love. That’s what Julia Quinn said.”
The first four seasons of Bridgerton are now streaming on Netflix.
