House of the Dragon continues to reinvigorate the Game of Thrones fandom, delivering deep and emotional storytelling as it progresses through its first season. Following a major time jump in between the fifth and sixth episodes, many of the characters and attitudes have changed in the series, leaving many viewers with new questions about the new current timeline.
One major change from the first half of the season is the addition of the Targaryen children who have been born in the ten-year gap between episodes five and six. With both Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Queen Alicent Hightower mothering three children, many fans are wondering exactly how old each of these children is and how they will come to play in the episodes ahead.
Jacaerys Velaryon Is About 7 Years Old
Jacaerys Velaryon is portrayed in episode six by Leo Hart. The firstborn of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, his birth causes some to believe that his father is not Ser Laenor. With his mother's infidelity seen as a betrayal of House Targaryen, Jacaerys begins to feel the weight of his own upbringing at a young age, being only about seven years old in his first appearance in the series.
As the heir to his mother's throne, Jacaerys has an important place in the royal family of Westeros. As such, he is in direct opposition with Aegon, the firstborn son of the king, whom many believe should be Viserys's successor rather than Rhaenyra. Therefore, Jacaerys's future remains indefinite as his fate is decided by the actions of his mother.
Lucerys Velaryon Is About 6 Years Old
Lucerys Velaryon is the second-born son of Rhaenyra, who is portrayed by child actor Harvey Sadler. Lucerys, like his brothers, is secretly the child of Ser Harwin Strong, a member of the City Watch and Rhaenyra's not-so-secret lover. When the audience meets him in House of the Dragon's sixth episode, Lucerys is around the age of six years old.
Like his brother, Lucerys looks up to Aegon — his mother's half-brother — participating in his cruel pranks against his own young brother, Aemond. Still young and innocent, Lucerys does not yet seem to comprehend the rumors about his family, at least not in the same way that his brother does, unaware that Laenor is not actually his father.
Joffrey Velaryon Is Only Days Old
The sixth episode of House of the Dragon opens with Princess Rhaenyra (now portrayed by Emma D'Arcy) giving birth to her third child, whom Laenor names after his deceased lover, Joffrey. Given that the episode takes place over the course of only a few days, the young Prince Joffrey is still in his very first hours of life as the series continues.
Despite Joffrey sharing a name with an intensely hated character from the original series, there is little known about Joffrey's future in House of the Dragon. His birth, however, seems to have confirmed what many had believed about Rhaenyra's extramarital affairs, pushing characters like Queen Alicent, Ser Criston Cole, and Larys Strong to take action to bring about the fall of Rhaenyra's family in one fell swoop, no matter who gets hurt along the way.
Aegon Targaryen Is About 13 Years Old
Named after the infamous Aegon the Conqueror, Aegon II Targaryen is the firstborn son of King Viserys and Queen Alicent Hightower. Portrayed by Ty Tennant, the son of Doctor Who star David Tennant, Aegon neared the age of three by the time of House of the Dragon's ten-year time jump, indicating that he is around twelve or thirteen at the time of episode six's events.
Aegon quickly establishes himself as difficult to get along with and is clearly not to be trusted in House of the Dragon. After years of his mother's insistence that he will be the next king rather than his half-sister Rhaenyra, Aegon clearly believes in his own destiny. With only very little screentime with Aegon so far, audiences can already see how terrible a ruler the child would be if allowed to ascend to the Iron Throne.
Aemond Targaryen Is About 8 Years Old
Aemond Targaryen is the son of the powerful Queen Alicent, the third born in her marriage to King Viserys. Portrayed in his early years by Leo Ashton, Aemond is the only one of Alicent's children who was not born prior to the ten-year time jump in between episodes five and six. Given that he is under the age of ten, audiences can surmise that Aemond is eight or nine during the back half of the show's first season.
Unlike the other members of the royal family, Aemond has not yet bonded with a dragon, having evidently been given a dead dragon egg upon his birth. As such, he has become an outcast among his family, especially to his older brother and nephews, who continually tease him. Despite his low standing among the other Targaryens, Aemond may yet have a part to play in the coming civil war.
Helaena Targaryen Is 10 Years Old
Played by Evie Allen, Helaena is one of the most interesting members of the Targaryen family. As the only daughter born between Alicent Hightower and Viserys Targaryen, Helaena keeps to herself, playing a very minor role in the episode where she is introduced. Having been born just before the ten-year time jump, Helaena is ten years old during House of the Dragon's current timeline.
Helaena does not seem interested in associating with her brothers or nephews, instead focusing on studying the various insects that she has collected over the years. Unlike her younger brother, she too has a dragon, though she has not yet been seen alongside the creature. Given her short screen time in episode six, very little can yet be discerned about Helaena's role in future events of the series.
Baela Targaryen Is About 7 Years Old
Baela Targaryen is the oldest daughter of Prince Daemon and Lady Laena, who may be named after her stillborn cousin, Baelon. The young girl is portrayed by Shani Smethurst during her first appearance in the series. She is about seven years old, though the timeline of her parents' marriage and subsequent childbearing is somewhat difficult to discern.
As his (slightly) eldest child, Baela appears to be the favorite of her father, who teaches her High Velaryon while they are visiting Pentos. While these two seem happy in Pentos, Baela's mother and sister are less pleased with their current whereabouts, leading to a terrible tragedy wherein Laena allows herself to be killed by her own dragon.
Rhaena Targaryen Is About 7 Years Old
Rhaena Targaryen is the daughter of Prince Daemon and Lady Laena Velaryon and the twin sister of Baela. Like her twin sister, Rhaena is believed to be about seven years old during the events of House of the Dragon's sixth episode.
Unlike her sister, Rhaena does not yet have a dragon to ride and is therefore shown less affection by her father, who tends to act as though she does not exist. Rhaena instead bonds with her mother and is therefore left feeling quite alone when Lady Laena is killed by her dragon after a difficult childbirth leads her to order the creature to kill her. Where Rhaena will go from here remains unknown as she grieves her lost mother.