What's a Ward in 'Bridgerton'? Meaning of Sophie's Relationship to Lord Penwood Explained
A lot of Bridgerton viewers are searching Google for “what is a ward” right now, so let’s fill you in on the meaning behind the term.
The first half of season four just dropped on Netflix and introduced viewers to Sophie Baek, played by newcomer Yerin Ha.
Sophie, a maid, is the new love interest for Luke Thompson‘s Benedict Bridgerton and they have a Cinderella story throughout the season. In episode two, we go back in time to learn some of Sophie’s backstory.
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In the book by Julia Quinn, we learn that Sophie is the illegitimate daughter of Lord Penwood and one of his maids. The maid’s mother left the baby at Penwood’s estate along with a letter explaining who the child is. Penwood takes in Sophie and raises her as his own, but when he marries Araminta, he introduces the child as his “ward.”
Araminta is able to tell that Penwood is lying and that Sophie is actually his child. When Penwood dies, Sophie ends up living a Cinderella-like story. Araminta claims that Sophie was not in Penwood’s will and offers her the opportunity to live at the estate as an unpaid maid.
In Bridgerton, a ward is referring to someone who is being looked after. Sophie is referred to as a “ward” because Penwood didn’t want to admit she’s his child.
Cornell Law School defines a ward as “a person who is under the protection, care, or guardianship of another individual, typically due to being a minor or legally incapacitated. Courts appoint guardians to oversee the well-being and decision-making of wards who are unable to care for themselves.”
Check out spoilers for the controversial ending of season four, part one.