A few of the ‘House of the Dragon’ stars have shared glimpses into their relationships
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NEED TO KNOW
- The House of the Dragon cast features a few actors who are in relationships
- Paddy Considine has been married to his wife, Shelley Considine, for decades
- The Game of Thrones prequel debuted its season 3 in June 2026
While viewers have watched forbidden love affairs, political marriages and family drama unfold on House of the Dragon, the actors behind the hit HBO series have mostly kept their real-life romances under wraps.
Still, a few cast members, like Olivia Cooke and Paddy Considine, have occasionally shared glimpses of their respective relationships.
Cooke, for example, found love on set with her HOTD costar Ralph Davis. She admitted that her stint on dating apps was “awful” before falling for her boyfriend, whom she was first spotted kissing in July 2025. The actress later confirmed the romance, describing Davis to The Sunday Times as, “a very therapised man, which is amazing.”
Other castmates, such as Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy, have made a point of maintaining their privacy, although they have been linked to other Hollywood stars.
From longtime marriages to newer relationships, here’s everything to know about the real-life loves of the House of the Dragon cast.
01 of 05
Matt Smith
Credit: Neil Mockford/WireImage
Smith portrays rogue Prince Daemon Targaryen in HOTD, whose most significant romance is with his niece and eventual wife, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, played by D’Arcy.
Away from the cameras, Smith doesn’t often open up about his romantic relationships. In the past, he has been linked to Lily James and Emma Laird.
02 of 05
Emma D’Arcy and Thomas May Bailey
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As Rhaenyra, D’Arcy plays the heir to the Iron Throne, and the character’s central love story ultimately revolves around Daemon (Smith).
While D’Arcy doesn’t usually speak about their personal life, they have been linked to actor Thomas May Bailey.
The pair started posting photos of each other in 2020. Three years later, they worked on Bailey’s short film The Talent. More recently, D’Arcy and Bailey were side-by-side during the promotion of HOTD season 3.
The nonbinary actor shared a glimpse into their personal life in July 2022, when they told Entertainment Weekly that their partner helped them audition for the HOTD role.
“For 24 hours, me and my partner just … kept trying [to find] something that gave me the illusion I had long hair,” they explained. “And then, every time we taped after that, I would sit in front of the telly, and my partner would do my hair extensions for an hour and a half before we taped anything.”
03 of 05
Olivia Cooke and Ralph Davis
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Cooke stars as Queen Alicent Hightower, who became the second wife of King Viserys I Targaryen (Considine), after beginning the series as Rhaenyra’s friend.
In real life, Cooke fell for HOTD costar Davis, who portrayed a knight named Leon Estermont. Davis’ character was later killed off in season 2.
The couple were spotted kissing in July 2025 after first being romantically linked the previous year.
“Everyone else could see it but me,” Cooke told The Sunday Times in December 2025 of their chemistry, adding that she didn’t put too much stock in their first hookup. “We had a snog, and that was it.”
She later realized there was more to their romance.
“I do think love is cringe, but love is to be celebrated,” the actress continued. “Having your nervous system be at rest — ah, it’s so nice.”
04 of 05
Fabien Frankel
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Fabien Frankel appears in HOTD as Ser Criston Cole, whose ill-fated romantic relationship with Rhaenyra sparked a lot of the show’s conflict.
While Frankel does not speak publicly about his own romances, he did explain how his philosophy on love shaped his character.
“First love is first love. I think everyone will always love the person that they fell in love with for the first time,” he told The New York Times in October 2022.
Frankel continued, “From the first time you hear a beautiful piece of music, you’ll always love it, even if you’ve heard it a hundred times, because you remember that first time you heard it. So yeah, he will always love Rhaenyra.”
More recently, he has been linked to marketing professional Olivia Monjardin, with whom he attended a BAFTA Film Awards event in February 2026 and the French Open in June 2026.
05 of 05
Paddy Considine and Shelley Considine
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Before his death, King Viserys, portrayed by Considine, was married to Alicent (Cooke), making their union one of the most politically consequential in the series. In real life, Considine has been married to his wife, Shelley Considine, for decades.
The pair have been together since they were teenagers, and now live in Burton, England, with their three kids.
Considine told The Guardian in March 2018 that he has always prioritized family life and staying as down-to-earth as possible throughout his career.
“When your group of friends are just people in the industry, it’s dangerous,” he said. “I’ve met very successful people and they start to exist in the stratosphere. I find that strange. I think you’ve still got to get out on the street and have a sniff around. I live a pretty quiet existence.”
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