The Buccaneers: Who Nan Ends Up With In the Book, Revealed

The Buccaneers novel by Edith Wharton revealed who Nan St. George ended up with, and it is an intriguing choice. Apple TV+ adapted The Buccaneers on the small screen, and one of the anchors of its story is the romantic journey of the carefree and adventurous Nan St. George (Kristine Frøseth). Aside from the bombshell twist that Patti St. George was not Nan's real biological mother, much of her journey in Season 1 was mainly focused on the love triangle between Nan, the Duke of Tintagel, Theo (Guy Remmers), and his best friend Guy (Matthew Broome). 

Who Does Nan End Up With In The Buccaneers?

The Buccaneers Season 1 ended with Nan's wedding to Theo, meaning that she is now the Duchess of Tintagel. While the series appeared to cement that Nan made her choice by choosing to marry Theo in the finale, it was much more complicated because Guy chose to admit his true feelings to her during the night before her wedding. Making matters more complex, Nan and Guy also hooked up after his confession. 

Although Nan wanted to leave Theo behind and be with Guy, she sacrificed her freedom for her half-sister, Jinny, after learning that she was in an abusive marriage, helping her escape with Guy. Theo and Nan's wedding in The Buccaneers Season 1 finale is not the final stop of Nan's journey, since more events happen that reveal an unexpected romantic outcome for the character. 

Although the original author of The Buccaneers novel, Edith Warton, died before finishing the rest of the story (she only finished 29 chapters), Marion Mainwaring pieced together and continued Warton's work in 1993 through the outline she left behind, and a happy ending was in the cards for Nan. 

After her wedding with Theo ended, it slowly became clear that the Dutch of Tintagel was only interested in the power he possessed, and he was not truly in love with Nan. As a result, the pair's marriage started to dwindle, and the book also revealed that he is gay. 

The Dutch's treatment of Nan made her realize that her feelings for Guy never disappeared and that he is actually her true love. With the help of Miss Laura Testvalley (the governess of the St. George family), Nan and Guy ended up together at the end of The Buccaneers after they ran away. While this incident caused a lot of controversy (because, technically, she was still the Duchess of Tintagel), Nan and Guy received their well-earned happy ending. 

Will The Buccaneers TV Series Adapt the Novel's Ending?

It remains to be seen if The Buccaneers will closely follow the novel, but the Season 1 finale appeared to hint that Nan and Guy are the endgame of each of their romantic journeys. Nan was already supposed to run away with Guy, but she chose to delay it to help her sister, Jinny. 

Although Theo was introduced as a good guy who appeared to have genuine feelings for Nan, Season 1 already hinted at some of the Dutch's villainous traits, such as his possessiveness and outdated views on women. This could further be explored in the show's sophomore run, setting the stage for Nan and Guy to eventually wind up together. 

The Buccaneers is a historical drama based on Edith Warton's novel of the same name that follows a group of American girls who go to England as they search for a fresh start by finding rich husbands. The series stars Kristine Frøseth, Matthew Broome, Guy Remmers, Aubri Ibrag, Josie Totah, Alisha Boe, Imogen Waterhouse, Christina Hendricks, and Josh Dylan. The Buccaneers Season 2 premiered on June 18, 2025.