Ser Criston Cole: According to Martin's The World of Ice and Fire, Ser Criston was born in 81 AC, making him 16 years Rhaenyra's senior. But Dragon's Ser Criston is likely much younger: Fabien Frankel, who portrays the knight onscreen, is 28 years old, only 8 years older than Alcock's young Rhaenyra.
Daemon's age in the show is not explicitly revealed, but neither are we led to believe that his age is significantly different from what it is in George R. R. Martin's books. So, let's agree that he is (give or take) 16 years older than Rhaenyra. This places him in his early 30s when we first see him meet his niece.
Then the one year time jump to episode 4, in which Rhaenyra is 18. Then after the 10 year time skip for episode 6, it means Rhaenyra is 28.
When we meet Ser Criston Cole, he is in his early 20s, putting Frankel right in line with his character. This marks a major departure from George R.R. Martin's book, however; in Fire & Blood, Cole is a full 16 years older than Princess Rhaenyra.
By House of the Dragon's fourth episode, Rhaenyra is around 18 years old and Daemon is 34.
This marks a significant change from the book, which states that Rhaenyra was born in 97 AC, and would be only 9 years old when her father marries Alicent. Milly Alcock, who plays young Rhaenyra, is 22. As of the mid-season time jump, Rhaenyra is aged up to 27, then—as of episode 8—to 33.
Princess Rhaenyra and Daenerys are distant relatives, living 200 years and about eight generations apart, as this thorough Targaryen family tree demonstrates.
According to the accounts of Septon Eustace, prior to her turning sixteen, Rhaenyra lost her virginity to her uncle, Prince Daemon, after he seduced her.
Rhaenyra is 14 years old at the beginning of House of the Dragon and grows up to 18 during the first four episodes. Milly Alcock, the young Rhaenyra's actress, was 21 when HOTD season one began production.
House of the Dragon fans have been joking about Ser Criston Cole not ageing during the series despite multiple time jumps. Cole has been played by the same actor, Fabien Frankel, throughout the Game of Thrones prequel despite other roles being re-cast by older actors due to two time jumps adding up to around 16 years.
In episode three, King Viserys mentions that three years have passed since Prince Daemon left King's Landing and teamed up with Lord Corlys to fight in the Stepstones. That means Alicent is now around 18 years old, while Rhaenyra is 17 (and soon-to-be 18 herself).
Alicent Hightower is 14 years old at the start of "House of the Dragon," and Milly Alcock was 21 during filming. Just like young Alicent, Rhaenyra is 14 at the start of the show and ages up to almost 18 years old over the course of the first four episodes.
Everyone who was a teenager in House of the Dragon Episode 5 has now been recast in Episode 6. Rhaenyra, Alicent, Laenor, and Laena are all being played by older actors to show they're all grown up now and ready for their own Game of Thrones.
While we conjectured that something inside forced Daemon to stop before he took Rhaenyra's virginity, a recent HBO-approved “Inside the Episode” installment revealed that something was literally impotence. He literally couldn't get it up.
Soon after being widowed, Daemon and Rhaenyra marry each other in secret when he is 39 years old, and she is 23. Their marriage causes a huge scandal at court and another rift between Daemon and Viserys, but it is eventually accepted. The couple has two sons together, Aegon and Viserys.
Daemon challenged Aemond, waiting for 13 days at Harrenhal until Aemond stopped burning the Riverlands to come face him. The duel that became known as the Dance over Harrenhal ended in the deaths of both riders and both dragons over the God's Eye. Daemon was 49 when he died.
Technically, Rhaenyra is Daenerys's sixth great grandmother and Jon's seventh great grandmother. That also makes Daenerys and Jon the direct descendants of Daemon, Rhaenyra's uncle/second husband.
Jacaerys Velaryon Is About 7 Years Old
The firstborn of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, his birth causes some to believe that his father is not Ser Laenor.
We also have Rhaenyra and Daemon's kids Aegon and Viserys, but they're both very young and will likely stay that way for the rest of the story. Young Joffrey is around 6 or 7. As for the other kids, showrunner Ryan Condal says they're all in “the 17-21 age range.”
As a youth, Rhaenyra was considered the most beautiful woman in the land, but Martin has repeatedly stated that at the time of her father's death, “[S]he was a pudgy girl and a stout woman, with a thick waist and a very large bosom.
We last saw her find out the truth in "We Light the Way" that Rhaenyra lost her virginity to Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).
Rhaenyra has been pregnant with her daughter Visenya since House of the Dragon's latest and last time jump, and it is heartbreaking to see her deal with this loss. The way in which the scene plays out makes it especially disturbing. RELATED: House of the Dragon: Which Dragon is Daemon Singing To?
1 Daemon Probably Loves Rhaenyra
However, Fire & Blood gives some insights into Daemon's character, which House of the Dragon only touches on in the last episodes of Season 1. Daemon shows his genuine care and attention to Rhaenyra several times before the two marry.
Daemon's relationship with his first wife, Lady Rhea Royce, comes about as an arranged marriage at the behest of his grandmother Queen Alysanne when he is only 16 years old.
The short answer is that Dany is directly descended from Rhaenyra and that the two princesses are eight generations apart.