Elizabeth and Nathan’s Journey Continues in When Calls the Heart Season 13

As “When Calls the Heart” prepares for its Season 13 premiere on January 4, fans are eagerly anticipating what’s next for Elizabeth Thornton and Nathan Grant. The beloved couple departed Hope Valley by train at the end of Season 12, facing an uncertain future as Elizabeth sought better medical care for her son, Little Jack, who needs insulin for diabetes. According to star Erin Krakow, who plays Elizabeth, viewers have much to look forward to in the new season. “Nathan and Elizabeth take steps forward,” she revealed in an exclusive interview. “They get romantic together. They get silly together. There are some beautiful, beautiful moments between them.” After years of will-they-won’t-they tension that finally culminated in Nathan’s heartfelt declaration, “Where you go, I go,” Krakow believes fans will be “more than satisfied” with how their relationship develops in the upcoming season.

While their time in Cape Fullerton represents a significant chapter in their relationship, Krakow hints that viewers won’t see the couple away from Hope Valley for too long on screen. However, the experience clearly transforms them both, even influencing their appearance. Most notably, Nathan returns sporting a mustache that becomes something of a talking point. “I can draw attention to the one thing that we’re all thinking, which is Nathan’s mustache. That’s back,” Krakow joked. The facial hair, which Nathan apparently grew during his time away, receives mixed reviews in Hope Valley—particularly from his daughter Allie, who thinks “it hides his smile.” Elizabeth, too, undergoes a style evolution following her time in the city, adopting flowier, 1920s-inspired silhouettes that reflect both her character’s growth and practical considerations behind the scenes.

The wardrobe changes for Elizabeth served a dual purpose, as Krakow revealed she discovered she was pregnant partway through filming Season 13. “I had already asked Barbara, our incredible wardrobe designer, if we could start to incorporate some flowier, more 1920s silhouettes,” she explained, noting that it “would make sense for Elizabeth to come back with a slightly different look to her fashion” after spending time in Cape Fullerton. This fortuitous planning worked in her favor as her pregnancy progressed, though she mentioned she “didn’t really have much of a bump” when they wrapped the season. In November 2025, Krakow officially announced she was expecting her first child with husband Ben Rosenbaum, who also stars in the series.

Remarkably, Krakow isn’t the only cast member experiencing the joys of impending parenthood. In what seems like a case of life imitating art in the family-centered world of Hope Valley, several “When Calls the Heart” stars announced pregnancies within weeks of each other. Kevin McGarry, who plays Nathan, and his wife Kayla Wallace (formerly a cast member herself) confirmed they were expecting their first child in early November 2025. Shortly after, in December, Chris McNally (Lucas Bouchard) shared that his wife, fellow Hallmark actress Julie Gonzalo, was pregnant with their second baby. “We did talk about it, but it’s not like we sat around in a group and said, ‘OK, go,'” Krakow laughed about the coincidental timing. “It’s pretty incredible. I don’t know if there’s something in the water or if, you know, we’re all just fertile. But here we are. It’s been really fun to get to share in this chapter together.”

When asked if Elizabeth might follow the cast’s real-life baby boom by having a child with Nathan on the show, Krakow remained diplomatically noncommittal. “Never say never. I mean, who knows? I am constantly surprised and delighted by what the writers come up with for us,” she said, before tempering expectations by adding, “Let’s take it one step at a time here. Let’s get them engaged first, and then we’ll see.” This gentle hint that an engagement might precede any future Thornton-Grant offspring will surely keep fans speculating about what milestones the couple might celebrate in Season 13 or beyond.

Beyond Elizabeth and Nathan’s relationship, Season 13 promises to deliver romance throughout Hope Valley. “For our romance loving fans, of which there are many, it’s not just Elizabeth and Nathan,” Krakow emphasized. Viewers can look forward to developments between Bill and Georgie, an intriguing will-they-won’t-they dynamic between Edie and Lucas, and even “blossoming puppy love between Allie and Oliver.” The season will also explore “deepening love stories” within established marriages, including the Canfields, Coulters, and Hickams. “There’s no shortage of love and romance,” Krakow assured fans, suggesting that Hope Valley remains true to its reputation as a place where hearts find their way home—even if some journeys, like Elizabeth and Nathan’s, might first lead them away before bringing them back changed for the better. “When Calls the Heart” Season 13 premieres on the Hallmark Channel on Sunday, January 4, at 8 p.m. ET, with new episodes streaming the next day on Hallmark+.