Charlie Gordon arrives as Daeron Targaryen with a twist.

House of the Dragon uses long-awaited Daeron Targaryen casting reveal as season 3 plot point

Charlie Gordon arrives as Daeron Targaryen with a twist.

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in Vanity Fair, Vulture, IGN, and more.

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July 5, 2026 10:00 p.m. ET

Charlie Gordon on 'House of the Dragon' season 3. Credit:

- *House of the Dragon* turns the casting reveal of Prince Daeron Targaryen into a narrative plot point.

- The fourth-born son of Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) is the subject of a switcheroo.

- Here's why Daeron's so important as the war treks on.

**Warning: This article contains spoilers from *House of the Dragon* season 3, episode 3.**

Who is Daeron Targaryen? That is the question Rhaenyra's allies are asking themselves on *House of the Dragon* season 3.

When interviewed by ** earlier this year, showrunner Ryan Condal shied away from revealing the casting of the long-absent *other* child of Dowager-Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke). "This character will be revealed in the season, and we can talk about that at a future date," he said at the time.

Now we know why all the mystery. The Daeron reveal plays into the plot of this season.

After Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) claims King's Landing and the Iron Throne, Daemon (Matt Smith) retrieves his nephew/stepbrother-in-law, who's been serving as a ward to Ormund Hightower (James Norton), Alicent's cousin and the Lord of House Hightower. It seems like a solid plan to keep an enemy dragonrider and a potential other claimant to the throne close by — only it's not really Daeron.

James Norton as Lord Ormund Hightower on 'House of the Dragon' season 3.

Theo Whiteman/HBO

Actor Charlie Gordon portrays a young boy from a merchant family who was threatened by Ormund into dying his hair blond and posing as Daeron in order to keep the real prince safe. The ruse only unravels once Alicent meets the child and confirms he's not her son.

"When we shot that scene when Alicent and Rhaenyra both realize he's not Daeron, it was a very small room and I just wanted to work with the steady-cam operator and feel the sense of the room spinning," Clare Kilner, a frequent *House of the Dragon* director who helmed this episode, tells EW. "But also, when you get Liv and Emma in a room, you just watch them. It gives you a ton of ideas. The double takes that Emma did when they look at Alicent's face and then back to Daeron and the moment where that penny drops, it's just priceless."

So who is playing Daeron Targaryen, *really*? It's important to note that HBO has not officially acknowledged this casting, while press who saw advanced screeners of the season 3 episodes are gagged from revealing that detail until the information is properly relayed on the show.

However, for those audiences who've been paying attention — or just have eyes — there is at least one other pale-skinned boy seen following Ormund around in the season 3 premiere. And he *is* played by an actor who some may recognize. We'll leave it at that for now.

Why do people care about Daeron Targaryen?

Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) and Caraxes on 'House of the Dragon' season 3.

Theo Whiteman/HBO

Daeron, the fourth-born son of Alicent and the late King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), remained absent from seasons 1 and 2 of the *Game of Thrones* prequel, even as a younger Alicent (by way of actress Emily Carey) was seen playing with her children as babes. For anyone hyper-aware of book-to-screen accuracies, a lack of Daeron was noticeable.

George R. R. Martin, the author of the source material and a credited co-creator on *House of the Dragon*, mentioned in a 2022 blog post, "Yes, Alicent gave Viserys four children, three sons and a daughter. Their youngest son Daeron is down in Oldtown, we just did not have the time to work him in this season."

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Ewan Mitchell explains 'House of the Dragon' season 3's shocking Aemond-Alicent moment

The sibling of Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), and Helaena (Phia Saban) was sent to ward at the seat of power for House Hightower. He first served as a squire to Lord Hobert Hightower (Steffan Rhodri), whose death left the boy under Ormund's charge.

"Daeron is a fixture and a character in the show," Condal told EW ahead of the season 2 premiere. "Do not fret, anybody. All in due time."

Tessarion, Daeron's dragon, on 'House of the Dragon' season 3.

As the war known as the Dance of the Dragons continues, more and more dragons are dying. That automatically makes Daeron valuable.

Arrax was the first of these creatures to die when he and his rider, Rhaenyra's son Prince Lucerys (Elliot Grihault), were swallowed up by Aemond's Vhagar in the season 1 finale. Season 2 then depicted the deaths of Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) and her dragon Meleys at the Battle of Rook's Rest, which also put Aegon's dragon Sunfyre out of commission. In the season 3 premiere alone, Prince Jacaerys (Harry Collett) and his steed Vermax perished during the Battle of the Gullet.

The Greens (Aegon's supporters) still have the largest dragon on their side, the seemingly unstoppable Vhagar, but they are still vastly outnumbered in this regard. Helaena is a formidable dragonrider in the pages of Martin's *Fire and Blood*, but we have yet to meet her drake Dreamfyre on *House of the Dragon*. Daeron's Tessarion, nicknamed "Blue Queen" and seen among Ormund's army camp, is the Greens' only other firebreather at this time.

Meanwhile, the Blacks (Rhaenyra's supporters) have Syrax (the Queen), Caraxes (Daemon), Moondancer (Lady Baela), Vermithor (Hugh), Silverwing (Ulf), and Seasmoke (Addam of Hull). Rhaenyra's younger son Joffrey remains bonded with Tyraxes, but the animal (and his rider) are too small for battle.

Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and her dragon court take King's Landing on 'House of the Dragon' season 3.

Courtesy of HBO

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Sheepstealer, the wild, untamed dragon claimed by Lady Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell), is still a roll of the dice after going rogue during the Gullet onslaught.

Dragon math aside, Daeron remains significant for the reason Daemon already pointed out. With both Aegon and Aemond in the wind, that leaves the other princeling as a prospective blood heir to the Iron Throne — and the Greens already pulled one over on Rhaenyra once before. Though, who knows if this is what the real Daeron would want.

According to Alicent's brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), back in season 2, the 16-year-old was described as "stalwart, clever," "adept at his lute as he is with his sword," likely "features in the fancies of many young ladies," and, more importantly, "kind." Alicent will be the first to point out that these are traits her sons severely lack.

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