Did Charlotte Heywood (Rose Williams) finally get her happily ever after? Following three seasons of romance and heartbreak, her story comes to an end in the final episode of PBS’s Sanditon. While the episode is scheduled to air on Sunday, April 23, it’s already available to stream in the PBS Passport app. Keep reading to find out whether Charlotte and Colbourne end up together at last in Sanditon Season 3.
[Warning: This article contains major spoilers for the series finale of Sanditon.]
Charlotte believes Lady Lydia is engaged to Colbourne in the ‘Sanditon’ series finale
Charlotte’s breakup with her sweet (but totally wrong for her) fiancé Ralph Starling (Cai Bridgden) in episode 5 removed one of the major obstacles standing in the way of her and Alexander Colbourne’s (Ben Lloyd-Hughes) relationship. But there’s still the sticky business of Lady Lydia Montrose (Alice Orr-Ewing), who appears to have formed an attachment to Colbourne.
When Lydia excitedly tells Georgiana (Crystal Clarke) that she’s recently become engaged, Charlotte’s best friend naturally assumes Colbourne is the man in question. Georgiana gently breaks the news to Charlotte. It’s a blow, but Charlotte tries to be stoic about it.
“Then I have missed my chance,” she says.
Charlotte does marry Alexander Colbourne in ‘Sanditon’ Season 3
Sanditon fans would be forgiven if they threw something at their television screens at this point. After three seasons of missed chances and bad luck, it’s tough to see Charlotte disappointed yet again. Could Colbourne really have proposed to Lady Lydia? She seems perfectly nice, but there’s no evidence he’s in love with her.
If you immediately suspected that Lydia’s supposed engagement to Colbourne was all just a misunderstanding, congrats, you were right. Lydia’s marriage-minded mother has been pushing her daughter to marry Colbourne. But Lydia’s really been carrying on a secret romance with someone else. Now, she’s engaged to her mystery man. However, it’s not until Colbourne’s brother Samuel (Liam Garrigan) is walking on the beach with Lady Susan (Sophie Winkleman) that the truth is discovered. She lets it slip that she believes Alexander is engaged. They immediately realize that Charlotte’s hasty departure from Sanditon is because she believes Colbourne is marrying someone else.
Once Colbourne gets the news (thanks to a fleet-footed Leonara), he sets off to find Charlotte before it’s too late. The scene echoes the Sanditon Season 1 finale when Sidney (Theo James) intercepts Charlotte’s carriage to tell her he’s sorry he has to marry someone else to save his brother’s failing business. But this time, the conversation is a happier one. Colbourne tells Charlotte he’s at liberty to marry whoever he wants. Also, she’s “bewitched” him (a nod to the moment in the 2005 Pride & Prejudice when Darcy declares his love for Elizabeth). Cue the romantic kiss on a windswept cliff. It’s a repeat of a similar moment between Charlotte and Colbourne in episode 3. Only this one doesn’t end with Charlotte pulling away because she’s engaged to someone else.
‘Sanditon’ ends with a flash-forward
With all the obstacles in front of them finally removed, Charlotte and Colbourne are free to marry. We see their ceremony and reception. Weirdly, Charlotte’s family is noticeably absent from both. Perhaps they’re put out about the Ralph situation, though it’s not explicitly addressed. Then, there’s a flash-forward to one year later. The Sanditon school that Colbourne promised to fund has opened and Charlotte is working there as a teacher. She and Colbourne are happily married and they have an adorable baby. After struggling to find her place in the world, she truly has it all. It’s the happy ending she (and Sanditon viewers) have been waiting for all along.
The Sanditon Season 3 finale airs Sunday, April 23 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS.
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