Cooke said that she and D'Arcy” have “definitely” talked about Alicent and Rhaenyra being “each other's first love,” although by this point “too much has happened and too much time has passed to probably even recognize those fledgling feelings.”
In multiple interviews, Milly Alcock and Emily Carey, who portray Rhaenyra and Alicent in the first five episodes of the season, have confirmed that they played their characters as having a romantic connection, not just a close, platonic one.
8 Rhaenyra Loves Her Uncle
In Fire & Blood, however, Rhaenyra is in love with Daemon from a young age. Things change after she meets Criston Cole. Nevertheless, George R. R. Martin's books show that Rhaenyra's first love was Daemon, whereas House of the Dragon has a slower build-up between the two.
"House of the Dragon" actor Emily Carey said that Alicent Hightower was originally "in love" with Ser Criston Cole. In the fifth episode of the prequel "Game of Thrones" series, Criston (Fabien Frankel) reveals to queen Alicent that he slept with her friend and stepdaughter Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock).
Cooke, who plays adult-Alicent, said she agreed with Carey's assessment of their character and how Alicent's relationship with Rhaenyra is a blend of platonic, romantic, and even sisterly.
In "Fire & Blood," Rhaenyra's longest-lasting relationship is with her uncle, Prince Daemon Targaryen. In addition to the age gap and the incest, their relationship starts off on an especially controversial foot, with rumors that he either seduced her or taught her to seduce Ser Criston Cole, resulting in his exile.
After going from best friends to enemies as teenagers, Alicent and Rhaenyra finally make genuine amends in House of the Dragon episode 8. In an effort to put aside their grievances for Viserys' sake, Rhaenyra gives a heartfelt toast to Alicent, to whom she apologizes and thanks for sticking by her father's side.
They are seemingly inseparable. As the daughter of the hand, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), Alicent has spent much of her childhood in King's Landing along with Princess Rhaenyra. They are close in age and study with the same Septa. They joke together and discuss Rhaenyra's feelings about her father's potential new son.
Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower started House of the Dragon as the best of friends, but have become bitter enemies. In Episode 7, Alicent comes at Rhaenyra with a knife, which is the kind of thing you figure you can't come back from.
Alicent Hightower, Played by Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke
In the book, she is nine years older than Princess Rhaenyra, although they are around the same age as Dragon.
Rhaenyra will have two marriages (and two lovers) in House of the Dragon, with six children (technically three by each husband, the suspicion that the first three are by another man is a source of much violence and discord in Westeros).
But, while time may heal all wounds, 10 years certainly wasn't enough time for Alicent's wounds to heal over being lied to by Rhaenyra. We last saw her find out the truth in "We Light the Way" that Rhaenyra lost her virginity to Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).
While House Of The Dragon episode 4 showed Daemon was able to seduce Rhaenyra by kissing and undressing her, he couldn't fulfill the act due to impotence.
— then Rhaenyra officially loses her virginity to Ser Criston Cole. After Daemon leaves Rhaenyra all horned up and alone, she sneaks back into the castle and lets Ser Criston see her in her page boy disguise.
Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) finally had sex on House of the Dragon. After teasing their deep connection for weeks, making out in a brothel, and flirting their way through King's Landing, uncle and niece at long last did the dirty.
Who does Rhaenyra Targaryen marry in the book Fire and Blood? In the book Fire and Blood, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen does indeed marry Ser Laenor Velaryon. The pair go on to - officially at least - have three sons.
Alicent hates Rhaenyra because she's in love with Criston Cole and believes the princess betrayed her by having an affair with him. This has never been explicitly stated on the show but was confirmed by Emily Carey, who played the younger Queen Alicent.
Rhaenyra sleeps with Ser Criston Cole, Otto Hightower spills
He initially tells the princess to stop but soon accepts her advances, and the two sleep together. The two have been great friends and Ser Criston is one of the few people Rhaenyra trusts so, can't say we didn't see this coming!
The dripping blood was taken as a sign that the throne, an unliving object, had rejected her; her days as ruler would be few. Eustace further claims that Rhaenyra would continuously cut herself more frequently when she sat on the Iron Throne and became more stout from gluttony during her time in King's Landing.
Alicent and Daemon's History In The Book
In Mushroom's version of events, Daemon takes Alicent's virginity, which is why Otto, Hand of the King, hates Daemon. Mushroom also implies that Alicent slept with Old King Jaehaerys when he was sick and Viserys before Queen Aemma died.
In the book, she's nine years older than Princess Rhaenyra, but in Dragon they're meant to be around the same age: 15 years old as of episode 1, then roughly 17 or 18 during episodes 3-5. Emily Carey, the actress who plays young Alicent, is 19 years old.
After her lustful time with Criston Cole ended, and her marriage to Laenor Velaryon began, the new couple, future Queen and King consort of Westeros agreed to sleep with whomever they want, for it best suited them to be happy. Rhaenyra chose to sleep with Harwin Strong, and the affair brought them 3 children.
In House of the Dragon episode 8, Rhaenyra Targaryen is pregnant with her daughter Visenya. Despite Rhaenyra and Daemon's excitement over having another child, their daughter will tragically never take a breath of air.
Aegon III, aka Aegon the Younger: Rhaenyra and Daemon's first child together. Aegon Targaryen, aka Jon Snow: Yes, he comes much later, when a song of ice and fire plays out. But he could be the prince that was promised, though that's still up for debate.
"House of the Dragon" star Emily Carey explained one reason why Alicent felt betrayed by Rhaenyra. She told Variety that Alicent was actually in love with Criston Cole before Rhaenyra slept with him. Alicent's feeling of betrayal by Rhaenyra was a focal point of episode five.