Sophie Baek spent most of her life thinking she'd been rejected by her late father - despite his promise to take care of her. But the truth of the matter - which Sophie finds out in Part two of Bridgerton season four - is that her father left her and her stepsisters an equal share in his will. Specifically, an 18,000 pound dowry.
As we know, Sophie's stepmother, Lady Araminta, secretly took this money and added it to her own daughter Rosamund's dowry, boosting her appeal on the marriage market. While Posy’s dowry was listed at a respectable £18,000, Rosamund’s was an eye-watering £36,000 - double the amount - giving her a serious advantage with prospective suitors. Meanwhile, Sophie was left with nothing, her lack of inheritance highlighting the stark unfairness of Lady Araminta’s manipulation.
If you're wondering just how much 18,000 pounds would be in 2026, it's a LOT of money...
According to Bank of England's calculator, £18,000 in Regency England amounts to £1,345,608.20 in today's market. (Yes!! Sophie would technically be a millionaire today with that type of dowry).
We also know that Lady Araminta was being paid 4,000 pounds per year to "keep" Sophie following her father's death (which is why she manipulated her into being a maid), and that amounts to about £299,024.04 per year.
In other words, a lot of money is at stake in the world of Bridgerton Season 4!
