Warning: book spoilers below:
Does Rhaneyra Marry Laenor Velaryon?
In the George R. R. Martin story The Princess and the Queen, Rhaneyra marries Ser Laenor Velaryon as has already been teased in episode 4 of House of the Dragon. As heir to the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra is the most sought-after bride in the Seven Kingdoms, much to her dismay, as the suitors are only interested in her birthright. So far, Rhaenyra has rejected all marriage proposals but if she can no longer keep doing so if she’s going to remain heir to the throne. After Rhaenyra is spotted at a brothel with her uncle Daemon, her father is adamant that she should marry immediately, as this is perceived in-universe as a compromise of her honor. The houses Targaryen and Velaryon used to be close due to their mutual Valyrian heritage, but they fell apart when the current King Viserys rejected the suggestion of Corlys Velaryon that he should marry his daughter, Laena. Since then, Corlys has departed from courts in unfriendly terms with the crown. So far, Viserys has been cheerfully ignoring most political threats that have endangered his kingdom, but now he seems adamant to repair the political damage that has been caused so far, regardless of Rhaenyra’s wishes. In the books (and potentially in the show as well) Laenor Velaryon is gay and has a lover. While the marriage goes on, with Laenor and Rhaenyra theoretically having three children, it isn’t clear whether the marriage was ever consummated, and it’s implied that the children were fathered by another man. Leanor dies before the civil war that comes to be known as Dance of Dragons begins, leading Rhaenyra to take another husband.
Who Else Does Rhaenyra Marry in House of the Dragon?
We have established that Rhaenyra does marry Ser Laenor Velaryon, but is this all the story has in store for her? As the series has foreshadowed quite heavily, Rhaenyra eventually ends up with Daemon Targaryen after the death of her first husband. This is a highly controversial choice, even when the fact that Targaryens usually marry family members is taken into account. At first, Daemon and Rhaenyra’s marriage remains a secret. Later, it causes some upheaval, as it rekindles gossip that -mostly correctly - suggests the two were involved even before Rhaenyra’s first marriage. While the tv show confirms that attraction is there, it’s not yet entirely clear whether Daemon will mostly marry Rhaenyra because of her birthright, and if her motivations will include having him on her side rather than let him become a potential political threat - remember that she only became crown princess because Daemon was disinherited by Viserys. With Daemon, Rhaenyra has three more children, one of whom ends up on the Iron Throne after a long and bloody conflict that saw the House Targaryen much diminished.House of the Dragon Episodes 1 through 9 is currently streaming on HBO channel and HBO Max with new episodes releasing weekly.
