Why The Pineapples In Bridgerton Mean More Than You Think
This particular fruit featured prominently throughout Bridgerton has way more meaning than you might expect. Light spoilers for the first season of Bridgerton to follow!
In the first season of Netflix's soapy, buzzy new series Bridgerton, the first project from creator Shonda Rhimes' huge deal with the streaming service, viewers are introduced to the luxurious, decadent world of Regency-era London and its high society, all of whom are vying to remain relevant, wealthy, and important at all times. On Christmas Day 2020, audiences were drawn into Bridgerton's romantic and swoon-worthy story, which focuses on the upper class Bridgerton family and their beautiful, eligible daughter Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), who ends up forming an immediate bond with the handsome, withdrawn Simon (Regé-Jean Page), the Duke of Hastings.
Bridgerton's detailed production design is full of amazing Easter eggs and little secrets, but you might not realize that one particular food item — featured at an important wedding in the first season — has a ton of significance. Here's why the pineapples featured in Bridgerton mean more than you think.
Pineapples were a serious luxury item during the Regency era in London
As Mental Floss details, pineapples, due to the fact that they could only grow in tropical climates — and therefore not in Europe — were a huge luxury item in the 1700s and 1800s, which makes sense; Bridgerton takes place in the early 1800s.
Pineapples that made their way to America could cost as much as $8,000, which makes sense considering the difficulty of importing them, and as such, they were a clear symbol of wealth, status, and power. Thanks to that high price tag in America, one can safely assume they'd cost a similar amount in Europe as well.
As Vogue UK notes, production photos from Daphne and Simon's royal wedding — as well as the episode itself — prominently features pineapples, showing off just how rich and powerful this couple is. This detail is so small that you probably missed it, but it also just shows how much work the production team behind Bridgerton put into this exciting, escapist series.
The first season of Bridgerton is available to stream on Netflix now.