It turns out this Bridgerton star is related to an iconic Harry Potter legend-Asyia Iftikhar-Entertainment – Metro

This Bridgerton actor grew up under British acting royalty (Picture: Netflix)

Bridgerton season three has finally arrived on Netflix and one member of the ton has a surprising set of famous parents.

As the audience returns to Regency-era England, we’ll be checking in with the eligible boys and girls of London’s high society as Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) figure out their true desire.

The ever-struggling Featherington family (who have appeared in the show since season one) also includes scheming mother Prudence (Polly Walker), Phillippa (Harriet Cains) and, of course, eldest sister Prudence who is played by Bessie Carter.

What some may not know is that Bessie, 30, is the daughter of British acting legend Imelda Staunton.

The 68-year-old star is best known for her roles as the horrid Professor Umbridge in the Harry Potter series and as Queen Elizabeth in The Crown.

Imelda’s long and acclaimed career has seen her scoop up a Bafta and Olivier award, but Bessie’s acting genes don’t end there.

Her father, and Imelda’s husband of 40 years, is none other than Downton Abbey actor Jim Carter, 75, from whom Bessie gets her surname.

Bessie with her parents, Imelda and Jim (Picture: Getty)

Has Bessie ever worked with her famous parents?

Imelda and Jim met during a production of Guys and Dolls and married in 1983. Bessie was born in 1993 and is their only child.

The couple have appeared in the Downton Abbey movies together in which Jim plays the butler Carson and Imelda stars as the Queen’s lady-in-waiting.

The young Bridgerton star followed in her parent’s footsteps from a young age and even appeared alongside her father, Jim, in the 2007 BBC drama Cranford where she played a maid called Margaret.

Jim is very proud of his daughter’s Bridgerton success (Picture: Getty)

Since then Bessie has featured in Les Miserable and I Hate Suzie while Netflix’s Bridgerton which marks her biggest TV role yet.

Jim celebrated Bessie’s casting in Bridgerton in 2021, saying he was ‘thrilled’, and adding: ‘We’re delighted, it’s been a huge success.’

Meanwhile, although the mother-daughter duo have not filmed anything together, they only had sweet words to say about one another during a joint interview in The Times.

There is a large height difference between Bessie and her mother (Picture: Getty)

‘She was great from the beginning. Very kind and patient, even at a few days old,’ Imelda said about her daughter.

‘I feel very fortunate in that I’ve never had that empty-nest feeling because she’s in the business,’ Imelda continued.

‘Whereas I was catapulted into the theatre, she’s been born into it, and she’s grown up with our mates who are like her uncles and aunts.

She’s been part of the acting world for a long time (Picture: Getty)

‘Honestly, there’s nothing nicer than the acting tribe, and knowing she’s moved out to be with this extended family feels very good indeed.’

She added that to work together was her ‘only unfulfilled ambition’.

Bessie also made her debut at the National Theatre in 2024 in Dear Octopus.

The show is located at the same theatre Jim and Imelda met, with the Vera star recently saying: ‘We’re proud parents today as our daughter has just opened a play at the National Theatre, and has been rehearsing in the same room where we met all those years ago.’

Who does Bessie Carter play in Bridgerton?

She is returning for her third season of the Netflix series (Picture: Nick Briggs/Netflix)

Bessie returns for the third season as Prudence Dankworth (nee Featherington).

For the first two seasons Prudence’s sole ambition is to find a suitable match and have the security of a husband, following the tragic death of her father, but it is to varying success.

Her frustration at constantly being overlooked is only exacerbated when her sister Philippa happily secures an engagement to Albion Finch.

In season two Prudence tried to woo the next heir to their estate, Jack, to no avail.

Bessie Carter at the Bridgerton premiere (Picture: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock)

As we return for a third season Prudence is now a Dankworth, newlywed to Harry Dankworth. But despite fulfilling her dreams of marriage and gaining financial security, the petty rivalry between Philippa and Prudence has not ended.

The upcoming season will see the sisters embark on a new journey as they battle to produce the first male heir and make sure the Featherington estate lands in their name.

Bridgerton season three part one is available to stream on Netflix.

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