Rhaenyra’s Claim
In the first episode of House of the Dragon, Rhaeynra is named heir to the iron throne after the death of her mother and baby brother - an event that led King Viserys to believe that he was never getting the son he’d hoped for. Of course, it’s possible that Rhaenyra was named heir not only because her father finally realized her merit but also because of his fallout with his opportunistic brother, Daemon who was heir apparent as long as Viserys didn’t have a son. When Viserys remarried - with Rhaenyra’s friend, Alicent Hightower no less - he finally got a coveted male heir. While he thus far remains committed to his promise to place Rhaenyra on the iron throne after him, it’s natural to believe that his daughter’s claim is now less certain. So, is the iron throne still Rhaenyra’s fate? Attention: Major book spoilers below:
Does Rhaenyra Become Queen in House of the Dragon?
Rhaenyra does reign but her claim is highly disputed and she never officially becomes queen, though, depending on how you look at it, her fans might get some satisfaction from the conclusion of the civil war as her son is placed on the iron throne after her death. In the books, when King Viserys dies, his widow, Alicent Hightower, organizes a coup to make her own son king, even though Rhaenyra is still technically Visery’s heir. Enraged, Rhaenyra goes to Dragonstone where she proclaims herself Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. In the civil war that ensues, many Targaryens are killed, including Rhaenyra’s middle son. By the end of G. R. R. Martin’s book, The Princess and the Queen, where the civil war unfolds, most of Rhaenyra and Alicent’s sons are dead. Rhaenyra herself is betrayed and executed, but her supporters place her remaining son on the Iron Throne where he reigns as Aegon III. Of course, the show has already made some changes to the source material, so it remains to be seen how the above events will unfold there, or if they’ll be changed. House of the Dragon Episodes 1 through 9 is currently available to stream on HBO channel and HBO Max with new episodes released weekly.
