The world may see them as rivals, queens, or pawns, but beneath the surface, something deeper pulses between ice and fire—a longing, a regret, perhaps even love. What if the greatest secret of the realm is not who sits on the throne, but who holds the heart of Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra Targaryen? The two women stand at the center of a storm, their connection both a mystery and a magnet for speculation throughout the run of the show.
The story of two women, threaded with longing and loss, has become a poignant reflection of the limits placed on women in Westeros.
A reign of love bound by ropes of the Iron Throne—The cast on Alys and Rhaenyra’s forbidden bond
Alicent and Rhaenyra’s relationship has long been the subject of fervent fan theories, with viewers dissecting every glance and whispered word for signs of romantic affection. The cast of the
House Of The Dragon,
on the other hand, seems to be a bit oblivious to the ongoing hypothesis.
Upon particularly hinting to the finale of the second season wherein Alicent plea’s with Rhaehyra to elope with her, to which the princess says—”My part is here. Whether I will or no decided for me long ago
.”.—”I did not know any of that
“, said Matt Smith, who plays Daemon Targaryen in the show’s second season. “I do not know if i am smart enough for this
“, Emma D’Arcy is heard saying as her voice fades into her introspection, all hinting at either an ambiguous possibility or an entire debunking of the theory for the Debunked
interview.
a cut of all the instances rhaenyra and alicent glanced at each other’s lips/alicent’s collarbones pic.twitter.com/hH9xioGNkP
— sarah 🍉 (@illusorycastle) July 1, 2024
The romantic subtext between Alicent and Rhaenyra is not merely a product of fan imagination. All four actresses who have portrayed the characters have acknowledged a complex sense of love that transcends friendship. Emily Carey and Milly Alcock, who played the younger versions, are said to have been conscious of the “queer subtext,”
intentionally toeing the line between platonic and romantic in their performances.
Even the show’s writers have hinted at an “element of queerness”
in their dynamic, suggesting that the emotional intensity between the two women was always meant to be ambiguous, if not overtly romantic.
Read More: Will Rhaenyra Targaryen Ride Vermithor in ‘House of the Dragon’?
However extravagant the tales of Westeros are penned down, the realities of the world tend to put a blurring balm on the jarring visions of fantasy, as is often seen.
The blurring line between Westeros fantasy and reality—NOT for purposes of entertainment
The fanbase may be maintained through the unforeseen connections with the original kickstarter of the franchise, with relationships that have the touch of impossibility and heartache washed all over them, it does not keep the show from teeming up critiques from its following and even catalysts. A recent incident was Matt Smith’s criticism of the show
‘s “dumbing things down
” strategy to help it fit TV ratings, rather than letting it stay in its true form. The sanitization and softening of morally jarring themes to avoid conflict is something that House of the Dragon
may be becoming a victim of, as is being expressed.
Rhaenyra: the youngest dragonrider in history pic.twitter.com/3rFU6MXWpV
— Dina (@Dinaemyra) May 30, 2025
Despite all the softening of fantasy to cater to the real world, the tragedy of Alicent and Rhaenyra’s bond is sharpened by the realities of their world—the Targaryen civil war, societal expectations, and personal ambitions all conspired to keep them apart. Even if their feelings were once mutual, the chance to explore them was stolen by circumstance and duty. Turned into a love that could never be, yet haunts every choice they make, no matter what the theories suggest.
What do you think of Alicent and Rhaenyra’s forbidden bond in the House of The Dragon?
Let us know in the comments below.