"House of the Dragon," [1] HBO's prequel to "Game of Thrones," dives into the tumultuous past of the House Targaryen almost 200 years before Daenerys Targaryen (played by Emilia Clarke) vied for the Iron Throne. Though the series introduces us to an entirely new cast [2] — including King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock), to name a few — there's a lot of symbolism in the hair and costumes [3] to unpack, just like the original series.
Fans of "Game of Thrones" know that hair colour is often a good way to tell members of the houses apart. Despite the vastness of Westeros, a white-blonde usually signals a Targaryen; a more sandy-blond, a Lannister. In the original show, Daenerys was known for her icy blonde [4] and elaborate half-up half-down braided hairstyles, while her brother Rhaegar (Wilf Scolding) had bleached and tousled waves. Though the new show focuses on an entirely different storyline, the signature hairstyles are still easily spotted, with similar styles appearing between King Viserys and Rhaegar, and Daenerys and Rhaenyra.
Ahead, take a closer look at some of the hairstyles in "House of the Dragon" and learn the meaning behind the most notable hair moments.
Why the Targaryens Are Blonde
In addition to being the only house to command dragons, House Targaryen is also known for its monopoly on white-blonde hair. Their hair colour is as constant as Otto Hightower's (Rhys Ifans) maneuverings to supplant his kin on the throne. But why is everyone's hair near-white?
It's due to generations of inbreeding to keep the royal bloodline "pure." This practice caused a majority of the family to inherit the trademark white-blonde. However, we do meet a few Targaryens who don't have that same notable hair colour. In these cases, this means one of the parents is from outside of the Targaryen family and, therefore, the recessive trait is overridden.
The Symbolism of Princess Rhaenyra's Braided Hairstyle
It's a bit unclear if Princess Rhaenyra genuinely wants the Iron Throne, or instead wants her father, King Viserys, to merely keep his promise by ensuring she remains heir. Regardless, from her hairstyle it's clear who Rhaenyra looks up to — her uncle, Daemon. While her father has shoulder-length tousled waves, her uncle has longer, straighter hair for much of the series. Rhaenyra's hair is about the same length as her uncle's, albeit with a bun or braid of her own. The only time her hair has the more wavy look of her father is after she has bested a rampaging boar, which added some bloody highlights to her hair.
The Inspiration Behind Princess Rhaenyra's Coronation Hair Accessory
For her coronation, Rhaenyra's hair is pulled back from her face into a slicked-back hairstyle, topped with a large headpiece. The inspiration for this lavish look came from Moroccan brides.
"There were references to medieval times with the palace looks and armour, and for accessories, I got a lot of inspiration from Moroccan brides," the show's costume designer Jany Temime said in an interview with Tatler [5].
Why Prince Daemon Cut His Hair
In the fourth episode of the season, Prince Daemon returns to King's Landing after spending several years away. Not only does he come back with a new and more amiable attitude, but he has a new haircut, as well. Instead of wearing his blonde hair in an extra-long style like he had before, it's considerably shorter, putting him at odds with how his family styles theirs.
This could be an effort by Daemon to set himself apart from his fellow Targaryens, after they left him to wage a bloody three-year war on his own against the sadistic Crabfeeder (Daniel Scott-Smith). After he single-handedly turned the tide of the conflict (and, quite literally, dragged the Crabfeeder from his cave), it'd be no surprise that the cocky, self-assured Daemon would be seeking a more individualistic touch.