"Becoming Mrs Darcy" - Re-Imagining Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam after Marriage

You may be familiar with Julia B. Grantham’s popular Facebook page, Elizabeth Darcy? You may also have read Julia’s coffee table book, "Mr Darcy’s Guide to Pemberley"? Then you would be delighted to know that Julia has just published a new book titled "Becoming Mrs Darcy", re-imagining the story of Elizabeth and Darcy during the first few months of their marriage.  

Imagine Elizabeth and Darcy as living characters whose story continues... what does their life at Pemberley and London look like? 

I had the chance to interview the lovely Julia about her creative process in this Q & A:

Who is your favourite character to write, and who do you find the most difficult?

A: It will not surprise you that Elizabeth is my favourite to write. Her voice feels natural to me; her wit and spirit are almost ever-present once I begin. She has such a lively way of seeing the world – quick to notice folly, yet generous in her judgement – that I never tire of her company. Mr. Darcy is a delight of another kind. His character requires patience: he reveals himself slowly, and much of his depth is concealed beneath outward reserve. But the more I write him, the more I treasure the opportunity to show that steadfast loyalty, quiet tenderness, and capacity for growth that make him so beloved. His restraint makes the glimpses of warmth all the more precious. Together, Elizabeth and Darcy are, in my mind, the perfect combination. She softens him, he teaches her restraint, and both embrace these changes without resistance. It is a joy beyond words to keep company with two people working so harmoniously towards their shared future.

I must also confess a particular fondness for writing Mrs. Bennet, who, though often comical, reveals herself with such energy and fervour that I can scarcely type quickly enough to keep pace with her passionate outbursts. Mr. Bennet, on the other hand, is a challenge. His dry humour, while sharp and often just, can verge upon the unkind, and I must take care that it does not jar upon the modern ear. He fascinates me, though: a man both wise and indolent, affectionate yet withdrawn, whose irony protects him from the world but sometimes distances him from his family. I frequently disagree with him — both in his words and in his behaviour — while still liking him as a character. It is not easy, I assure you.

Lydia, too, is a challenge. She is so very different from myself that I find it hard to relate to her. Yet she is also tremendous fun to write: fiery, impulsive, utterly heedless of consequence, and always speaking her mind. I rather dread the time when Wickham enters the story: what shallI do then? And then there are the historical figures who step into the story. They bring their own difficulties, for I wish to portray them with fairness and accuracy, not as caricatures but as people who once lived, with complexities of their own. It is a delicate balance — weaving fact with imagination — yet it adds a richness that I hope does justice both to them and to the world in which Elizabeth and Darcy now live. 

You can buy a copy of Becoming Mrs Darcy here.

About the Author 

Julia B. Grantham is a British author whose lifelong love of Jane Austen has inspired her to create new stories in the spirit of Austen’s world. She is the author of the much-loved coffee-table book Mr Darcy’s Guide to Pemberley and connects with thousands of fellow Austen enthusiasts on her popular Facebook page Elizabeth Darcy. Alongside her Austen-inspired works, Julia is the creator of the bestselling children’s books A Mole Like No Other and Moley and the Mysterious Sea Turtles, both warmly received by readers and the press. She also serves as an Ambassador for the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation, founded by Austen’s great-niece Caroline Jane Knight, reflecting her dedication to literacy and education. On Michaelmas, 29 September 2025, the first volume of Julia’s sequel to Pride and Prejudice — Becoming Mrs. Darcy: Elizabeth’s Chronicles — will be published.