After all the sudden and major time jumps, it’s extremely difficult to keep track of the ages of characters in House of the Dragon. Some characters were only 14 in the first episode and are now 33! In Episode 2 of HOTD, King Viserys Targaryen announces his intention to marry Alicent Hightower, who is around the same age as Rhaenyra, Viserys’ daughter. In the same episode, Lord Corlys proposes to King Viserys to marry his daughter Laena, who is only twelve years old. Fast forward to Episode 6 of HOTD, and she’s 27 when she dies by Vhagar’s fire.
All of these names, dates, and ages can be extremely difficult to keep track of, especially with a complex storyline with hidden symbolism for fans to decipher. Whoo! Hats off to George RR Martin for the Game of Thrones universe; a blessing and a curse. To clear up some confusion, let’s look at the current ages of all the main characters in House of the Dragon. While we’re at it, let’s also explore how old they were when the show started, and how old the actors who play them are (you’ll be surprised to know some of their ages.
Viserys Targaryen, played by Paddy Considine
King Viserys foils the Hightowers’ plan
In House of the Dragon, King Viserys Targaryen is probably between 38 and 42 years old. Paddy Considine is a 49-year-old actor for comparison (the man looks old). Viserys marries 18-year-old Alicent shortly before he turns 30 in the novel. Viserys in House of the Dragon, on the other hand, is significantly older as Paddy Considine (who plays Viserys in the series) is 49 years old. Viserys’ actual age hasn’t been shown onscreen yet, but we can assume he’ll be around 70 by Episode 8.
Rhaenyra Targaryen, played by Milly Alcock and Emma D’Arcy
Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the House of the Dragon
Rhaenyra is 14 at the start of House of the Dragon and grows up to 18 in the first four episodes. Milly Alcock, the young actress from Rhaenyra, was 21 when the first season of HOTD began production.
The eldest Rhaenyra is now 33 and has five sons with two husbands (well, a husband/uncle and a knight whom Rhaenyra cheated with), and Emma D’Arcy, the non-binary actress who plays her, has no than 30 years old.
Alicent Hightower, played by Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke
Queen Alicent thinks Aegon is the true heir
Alicent is a leading figure in the novel “Fire and Blood” by George RR Martin. Alicent arrived in King’s Landing at the age of 13 to join her father, Otto Hightower, according to Fire & Blood. When Queen Aemma dies she is 17 and 18 when she marries Viserys’ second wife. In the book, she is nine years older than Princess Rhaenyra, although they are around the same age as Dragon.
Emily Carey, the actress who played young Alicent, said her character was 14 when she first appeared in House of the Dragon, which would put her around 18 by episode four and around 35 at the end of HOTD Season 1.
Otto Hightower, played by Rhys Ifans
Otto High Tower
In the novel, Alicent’s father is a year older than Viserys. This indicates that he will be around 25 when Viserys is named heir and 30 once Alice and Viserys marry. Although Otto’s precise age is unknown in HOTD, Rhys Ifans, who plays Otto Hightower in The Amazing Spiderman, is 55 years old. In House of the Dragon, he’s more likely to be in his 50s in Episodes 1-5, then in his 60s by we get to Episode 8.
Demon Targaryen, played by Matt Smith
Demon Targaryen
Based on the Fire & Blood timeline, Daemon is four years younger than his brother Viserys. Daemon actor Matt Smith is 39 years old. Considering Daemon doesn’t seem to age much between episodes 5 and 6, it’s plausible that House of the Dragon aged Daemon a few years after his debut in Fire & Blood.
Aegon II Targaryen, played by Tom Glynn Carney
Viserys and Alicent’s eldest son is two years old when he first appears in episode three of House of the Dragon. In episode 6 we first meet him as a young teenager and by episode 8 he should be around 18 years old. Tom Glynn-Carney, who plays him in episode 8, is 27 years old.
Aemond Targaryen, played by Ewan Mitchell
Aemond’s last child, Viserys and Alicent, who also happens to be the most notorious, is a youngster in Episode 6, but older than Rhaenyra’s children. In Fire & Blood, he is born just a year after his sister, Helaena. That would make him around 15 in Episode 8. Ewan Mitchell, who puts Aemond’s final rendition, is 20.
Jacaerys Velaryon, played by Harry Collett
Rhaenyra’s first son by Laenor Velaryon (but really by Ser Harwin Strong) is four years younger than his half-uncle Aemond Targaryen, a man who despises him. That puts him at 11 in Episode 8, but Dragon probably aged him a bit: the actor portraying him, Harry Collett, is 18.
Lucerys Velaryon, played by Eliott Grihault
Rhaenyra and Laenor’s second son (Harwin again) was born a year after Jace. This would put Luke at around ten years old in Episode 8, when it looks like House of the Dragon has aged Jace and increased the age difference between the brothers.
Criston Cole, played by Fabien Frankel
Ser Crsiton Cole Wins Princess Rhaenyra’s Favor
Ser Criston Cole debuts in his early twenties, while actor Fabien Frankel is around 28 at the time of filming. Ser Criston is 16 years older than Rhaenyra, according to The World of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin. Ser Criston, the knight from House of the Dragon, is 28 years younger: Fabien Frankel, who plays the knight, is 8 years older than Rhaenyra.
Show creator Ryan Condal confirms his age, saying, “Cole is in his early twenties, I’d say early twenties when we first meet him, and then he gets older until the end of his thirties.”
Will there be more time jumps?
Fans can safely bet that there won’t be any more time jumps, as the base of the story has already been established and the writers have already reached the climax. HOTD Episode 9 will prove if House of the Dragon lives up to Game of Thrones standards, as the ninth episode has always been GoT’s most action-packed episode so far, and that’s what HOTD also waiting.
