Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which earn us a commission at no cost to you. All affiliate links are marked with an asterisk.

We’re jumping ahead 10 years in House of the Dragon, and Rhaenyra now has children. Are those children illegitimate?

The House of the Dragon series has changed its cast. We jumped ahead 10 years, and now Rhaenyra is all grown up. It’s time to see her life with Ser Laenor Velaryian. It didn’t take long for questions about their children to come up.

There are rumors that Rhaenyra’s children are not those of Laenor. The dark hair of Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey gives a lot away. Why would two parents with the platinum hair of their ancestors have dark-haired children? Viserys doesn’t want to believe it, but there is a “strong” chance that the children are not Laenor’s.

Did Rhaenyra have an affair in House of the Dragon?

This whole situation is going to play a major role in the Targaryen civil war. It’s clear that Rhaenyra likely had an affair. Just like Cersei Lannister in the decades to follow, Rhaenyra’s children being born with a different color hair than expected makes it clear that Laenor is not their father.

In the book*, we learn that Rhaenyra likely had an affair with her sworn sword, Harwin Strong. He has dark hair, and so it makes a lot of sense. However, in the book, the children don’t look like either of their parents, but they still have fair hair. The show has made the rumors more than, well, rumors.

It’s also worth noting that while there could be some sort of recessive gene, both Daemon and Laena’s children have the expected hair color. This adds more fuel to the rumor fire.

What will this mean for the Targaryen civil war in House of the Dragon? we’re sure to find out very soon.

MORE: What illness does Viserys have in House of the Dragon?

House of the Dragon airs Sundays on HBO and HBO Max in he U.S. and on Crave in Canada.