The Gilded Age: Season 3 ending explained - including baby twist and George Russell's shocking decision
The Gilded Age has aired its final episode of season three - here’s what went down at Bertha’s highly-anticipated Newport Ball.
The hit HBO period drama has delighted audiences since 2022, reaching new levels of popularity with each season. The period drama follows two main families as they climb and navigate high society in the ‘Gilded Age’ of 1880s New York.
The Gilded Age has gone from strength-to-strength with its cast of A-list star including Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon being lauded for their performances. Now, season three has come to a shocking end, with fans desperately searching for answers after one character’s shocking admission.
Here’s how season three of The Gilded Age bowed out. *WARNING - Major spoilers ahead!*
How does The Gilded Age season 3 end?
In the finale of season three of The Gilded Age, Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) officially ends New York City society’s ban on divorced women with her extravagant and very successful Newport Ball, with divorcees Aurora Fane (Kelli O’Hara) and Charlotte Reyton (Hannah Shealy) in attendance. Mrs Astor even swallowed her pride and attended, which in turn gave Bertha the stamp of approval as society’s newest leader.
During the ball, Dr William Kirkland (Jordan Donica) makes a huge decision, as he gets down on one knee and proposed to Peggy Scott (Denee Benton). It comes after William’s mother Elizabeth meddled in their relationship, revealing Peggy’s past in a bid to break them up. Peggy had been orstacisted from sections of society after it was revealed that she had a child out of wedlock, with her son later succumbing to scarlet fever alongside his adoptive mum in Philadelphia. However, William pledged his future to her with his public proposal.
Als amid the soiree, Agnes Van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) finally steps aside and accepts sister Ada (Cynthia Nixon) as the new matriarch of the family following a battle between the two over the season. Agnes has grappled with her declining influence and wealth over the course of the season, but after learning that Ada was influential in getting her appointed as the new President of the New York Heritage society and essentially securing her place in society, Agnes finally accepts Ada as the new matriarch of the Van Rhijn family.
Meanwhile, Oscar van Rhijn (Blake Ritson) and Enid Winterton (Kelly Curran) appeared to reconnect, with plans to marry and become a “fighting pair” in high society. Oscar previously linked up with the then-unmarried Enid Turner while she served as Bertha’s lady's maid in a plot to marry Gladys. Since the, Enid has risen through the ranks of society after marrying Joshua Winterton and subsequently becoming a widow. The pair’s new partnership is beneficial for both - Enid keeps her place in high society, while Oscar marries in a bid to hide the fact he is gay, having previously been in a secret relationship with John Adams.
Elsewhere, Larry Russell (Harry Richardson) and Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) have tentatively reconciled, while Jack Trotter (Ben Ahlers) sparks what could be the beginning of a romance with Bridget (Taylor Richardson) after being a self-made wealthy man following the success his alarm clock invention.
Did Bertha and George break up in The Gilded Age season 3 finale?
The biggest shock of the season three finale came when a recovering George (Morgan Spector) admitted to Bertha that he has been re-evaluating his life after being shot by an unidentified gunman. The patriarch of the Russell family admitted that he has carried resentment for his wife ever since they forced their daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) into an arranged marriage with Hector Vere, the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb).
Despite Gladys and the Duke actually enjoying a pleasant marriage together, George admits to his wife that he can’t forgive himself or her for putting Gladys in that situation. He tells a devastated Bertha, who is still on a high from her successful Newport Ball, that his near-death experience has made him realise that he cannot live with her and her social climbing ways any longer. We don’t see the pair exchange any words to the effect of ‘divorce’ but it certainly looks like it could be heading that way in season 4.
To complicate matters further, Gladys has just revealed that she and Hector are happily pregnant, possibly indicating that the arranged marriage was successful in the long-run.
Season four promises to expand on these shocking storylines, as well as possibly providing answers to lingering mysteries including who shot George.