'Bridgerton' Season 3 gets dramatic new trailer: How to watch, what to know about Netflix hit

"Bridgerton" is back two years later — and the show's royals are reaching new heights.

A trailer and new photos that dropped Thursday show the next steps in the Shonda Rhimes-created Netflix sensation, which returns this season with main character Penelope Featherington, played by Nicola Coughlan, who has left behind her crush on Colin Bridgerton, portrayed by Luke Newton, after he talked badly about her last season.

“I think it gives us a really good place to start,” Newton said in February at a Netflix-hosted panel about the new season. “If everything’s all good between the two, there’s less growth for the two of them…”

“And also, she had him on this pedestal,” Coughlan added. “So he had to be knocked off in order for her to see him as a human being, which he is – a lovely human being, but a human being nonetheless.”

'Bridgerton' Season 3 plot: What happens?

Now, Penelope is in search of a husband who will allow her the space to be her alter ego Lady Whistledown, but failing miserably to find one. For Colin’s part, he came back from a summer away with a fresh outlook – and physical look.

More: 'Bridgerton' Season 3 teaser: Will Penelope and Colin sizzle or flame out?

He eventually mends fences with Penelope enough to mentor her to find a husband, but questions whether he is interested in Penelope, too. Things get interesting when Penelope Featherington finds beef with Eloise, played by Claudia Jessie, who has a new unlikely friend.

The next-gen costume drama's new season, steeped in romance and riches, is still missing its secret ingredient: breakout star, actor Regé-Jean Page, who left the show after Season 1 amid other acting projects and a (almost) tied-up storyline.

When does Season 3 of 'Bridgerton' premiere?

Bridgerton's third season is slated to return on this spring in two, four-episode parts with Part 1 featuring the season's first four episodes which premiere on May 13 and Part 2 which premiere on on June 13.

Watch 'Bridgerton' trailer

What happened in Season 2 of Netflix hit 'Bridgerton?'

In Season 2 of the series, inspired by Julia Quinn’s Regency novels, viewers witnessed the love story of Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kathani “Kate” Sharma (Simone Ashley). They also saw a blowout fight between Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) and her best friend Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), after Eloise realized Penelope was the town gossip, Lady Whistledown. Penelope was also devastated after overhearing that her crush, Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) would never court her (though Season 3 focuses on their burgeoning love story).

Contributing: Erin Jensen, Kelly Lawler

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Bridgerton' Season 3: Trailer, release date, cast and what to know