Meet every LGBTQ+ character in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon

 👑 Game of Thrones

1. Renly Baratheon (Gethin Anthony) — House Baratheon

The Iron Throne wasn't the only thing Renly Baratheon was fighting for. Although he was platonically married to Margaery Tyrell for political reasons, Renly's romance with Loras Tyrell, her brother, became one of Game of Thrones's defining queer love stories.

Renly's sexuality was never treated as a twist. Instead, it was simply part of the man he was: a charismatic leader whose greatest love story was tragically cut short before either of them had a chance to rule.

Key queer moments:

• S1E5 — Shares an intimate scene with Loras.
• S2E3 — Kisses Loras before heading into battle.

2. Loras Tyrell (Finn Jones) — House Tyrell

The Knight of Flowers was famous for his beauty, but his romances were never just whispered rumors. Between Renly Baratheon and Olyvar, Ser Loras Tyrell became one of Game of Thrones's most prominent LGBTQ+ characters.

After Renly's death, Loras found love again with Olyvar. But that relationship ultimately became his downfall when Olyvar testified about their affair, allowing the Faith Militant to arrest Loras for "sodomy" and other perceived moral crimes. His imprisonment became one of the clearest examples of how queer relationships could be weaponized in Westeros.

Key queer moments:

• S1E5 — His romantic relationship with Renly Baratheon is revealed in one of Game of Thrones's earliest queer love scenes.
• S2E3 — Shares a kiss with Renly before the Battle of Blackwater.
• S3E3 — Begins a relationship with Olyvar, who later becomes Littlefinger's spy.
• S5E1 — His relationship with Olyvar is used against him by the Faith Militant, leading to his arrest.

3. Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal) — House Martell

Pedro Pascal has played plenty of heartthrobs, but Prince Oberyn Martell remains one of his sexiest. Few characters made an entrance quite like the Red Viper. Charming, fearless, and unapologetically attracted to people regardless of gender, the Prince of Dorn quickly became one of Game of Thrones's most memorable queer characters.

Unlike many nobles in Westeros, Oberyn never hid who he desired. His relationship with Ellaria Sand was built on mutual trust, openness, and the freedom to pursue other lovers together. When asked if he preferred men or women, Oberyn famously shrugged off the idea of choosing altogether:

"The gods made that and it delights me. The gods made this and it delights me... When it comes to war, I fight for Dorne. When it comes to love, I don't choose sides."

It's still one of the most memorable affirmations of sexual fluidity in the GOT universe.

Key queer moment:

• S4E3 — Enjoys a famously flirtatious brothel scene with partners of different genders

@palantehbomax I miss him… #OberynMartell #PedroPascal #GOT #GameOfThrones #HBO @hbo @streamonmax @gameofthrones ♬ original sound - Pa’lante! Max - Pa’lante! HBO Max

4. Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma) — Dorne

Ellaria Sand never let Westeros tell her who she could love. Whether pursuing women, men, or standing beside Oberyn Martell, she embraced desire with the same freedom that made Dorne unlike anywhere else in the Seven Kingdoms.

More than any other region in Westeros, Dorne treats love and sexuality with remarkable openness, and Ellaria embodies that spirit. Her relationship with Oberyn, intimate encounter with Marei, and later flirtation with Yara Greyjoy never feel shocking or scandalous — they're simply expressions of who she is.

Key queer moments:

• S4E3 — Shares an intimate brothel scene with Oberyn Martell that establishes their attraction to people of multiple genders.
• S4E7 — Shares an intimate encounter with Marei.
• S7E2 — Shares a memorable kiss with Yara Greyjoy.

5. Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan) — House Greyjoy

Yara Greyjoy had swagger for days. Like Oberyn Martell and Ellaria Sand, she never let Westeros define who she could desire. Whether commanding ships or charming women, the Ironborn captain approached both with the same confidence.

One of Yara's most memorable queer moments was never in the script. While filming season 7, actresses Gemma Whelan and Indira Varma decided in the moment that Yara and Ellaria should kiss, turning a flirtatious exchange into one of Game of Thrones's most memorable sapphic scenes. Whelan later told Entertainment Weekly, "It wasn't directed that we would kiss. It just seemed like something we should do... It was meant to be a suggestion [of flirting] and then it became more sexual than we expected because it seemed right." Honestly? It did.

Key queer moments:

• S4E6 — Flirts with and kisses a woman in Mole's Town.
• S6E7 — Kisses an unnamed courtesan in Volantis and openly expresses her attraction to women.
• S7E2 — Shares a memorable kiss with Ellaria Sand.

6. Olyvar (Will Tudor) — Littlefinger's Brothel, King's Landing

Olyvar was far more than one of Littlefinger's spies — he left no doubt where his interests lay. His relationships with Loras Tyrell and Prince Oberyn Martell establish that his attraction to men extends well beyond his work in Littlefinger's brothel.

One of Olyvar's best lines comes when Ellaria playfully invites him to join her and Oberyn. Politely declining, he explains that he has "not acquired the taste," making it clear exactly where his interests lie.

Key queer moments:

• S3E3 — Begins seeing Loras.
• S4E3 — Turns down Ellaria's invitation, joking that he has "not acquired the taste."
• S5E1 — Continues his relationship with Loras.

7. Varys (Conleth Hill) — The Red Keep

Lord Varys was one of the few people in Westeros who never let desire cloud his judgment. While kings and queens waged wars over love, lust, power, and heirs, the Master of Whisperers remained focused on protecting the realm, never showing romantic or sexual interest in anyone.

When Prince Oberyn Martell asks whether he's attracted to men or women, Lord Varys simply replies, "Nothing." He later explains that seeing what desire has done to people leaves him "very glad to have no part in it." Although Game of Thrones never assigns Varys a modern identity label, many viewers have embraced him as a notable example of asexual representation. It's also important to note that, while Varys was castrated as a boy, this would not necessarily impact his ability to feel desire for men or women.

Key queer moments:

• S4E6 — Tells Prince Oberyn Martell he has no desire for either men or women.
• Throughout the series — Shows no romantic or sexual interest despite countless opportunities around him.

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8. Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) — House Tarth

Mocked for being "too masculine," Brienne of Tarth has nothing to prove — yet she spends eight seasons humbling men who underestimate her. Fiercely loyal, honorable, and unapologetically herself, Brienne refuses to become the woman Westeros expects her to be.

Brienne is a gender-nonconforming icon for many queer fans because her story isn't about changing to fit in — it's about earning respect without pretending to be someone she's not. She spends her entire life trying to prove herself in a world determined to dismiss her, yet never compromises the values that define her. In the series finale, Jaime Lannister knights her, making her the first woman to become a knight in the television adaptation. A bonafide baddie.

Key queer moments:

• S2E3 — Wins Renly Baratheon's tournament, earning a place in his Kingsguard.
• S6E8 — Proudly introduces herself as "Brienne of Tarth," embracing the name and identity others once mocked.
• S8E2 — Jaime Lannister knights Brienne before the Battle of Winterfell.

9. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) — House Stark

While Sansa dreamed of courtship and crowns, Arya preferred swords to stitching. When Jon Snow gifted her a sword, Arya named it Needle — a playful nod to the embroidery needles she had no interest in picking up. It was one of the first moments someone truly saw her for who she was.

Although Arya Stark isn't portrayed as LGBTQ+ onscreen, her story has resonated with many queer fans — especially those who've questioned traditional gender roles — because she spends the entire series pushing back against the role others expect her to play. When Ned Stark describes the future he imagines for her — marriage, children, and a castle of her own — Arya's answer is simple: "That's not me." Years later, she sums up that journey with another unforgettable line: "The world doesn't just let girls decide what they're going to be. But I can, now."

Key queer moments:

• S1E1 — Secretly outshoots Bran during archery practice, hinting she'd rather wield a bow than follow the path expected of noblewomen.
• S1E3 — Begins training with Syrio Forel after Ned Stark recognizes the life Arya truly wants.
• S7E4 — Holds her own against Brienne of Tarth in one of the series' most memorable sparring matches, proving she's become the warrior she always dreamed of being.
• Throughout the series — Rejects the role others imagine for her, forging her own path from rebellious Stark daughter to one of the Seven Kingdoms' greatest warriors.

🐉 House of the Dragon

10. Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy and Milly Alcock) — House Targaryen

Emma D'Arcy's recent fashion editorials may have the internet in a chokehold, but Rhaenyra Targaryen has sat at the center of queer discourse since House of the Dragon premiered. Fans didn't start talking about Rhaenyra's queerness after her kiss with Mysaria — they'd been doing it since the series premiere, when young Rhaenyra lounged in Alicent Hightower's lap and teasingly remarked, "I like this position. It's quite comfortable." Later in the episode, she dreams aloud of leaving King's Landing behind to fly across the Narrow Sea with Alicent — a moment many fans still point to as the beginning of the show's sapphic subtext.

Rhaenyra's openness extends beyond her own relationships. Knowing Laenor Velaryon loves men, she agrees to a marriage built on honesty rather than secrecy, encouraging him to continue pursuing the life and relationships that make him happy while they fulfill their political duties together. Years later, she even helps Laenor escape Westeros with Qarl Correy rather than forcing him to live a lie. Then, in season 2, her unexpected kiss with Mysaria transformed years of queer subtext into one of House of the Dragon's most talked-about queer moments.

Key queer moments:

• S1E1 — Shares an intimate moment with Alicent, telling her, "I like this position. It's quite comfortable."
• S1E5 — Agrees to a marriage of mutual understanding with Laenor Velaryon, allowing them both the freedom to love others.
• S2E6 — Shares a romantic kiss with Mysaria.
• Rhaenyra and Alicent deserve their own section—keep scrolling.

11. Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) — King's Landing / Dragonstone

Known as the White Worm, Mysaria built her reputation as one of Westeros's shrewdest survivors. But beneath her sharp political instincts is someone who has spent her life learning how to survive — and rarely allowing herself to be vulnerable.

Her kiss with Rhaenyra became one of House of the Dragon's most talked-about moments — and it almost didn't happen. The scene wasn't originally scripted as a kiss, but after months of conversations between Emma D'Arcy, Sonoya Mizuno, and the creative team, the actors felt it was the most honest expression of the characters' growing connection. Speaking to Variety, Mizuno described it as "a really beautiful, tender kiss" unlike anything Mysaria had likely experienced before after a lifetime shaped by exploitation and survival. She added that she and D'Arcy imagined the relationship as realizing, only in hindsight, that you'd had a crush on someone all along. Of course, with a civil war erupting around them, those feelings were never likely to take priority.

Key queer moment:

• S2E6 — Shares a tender, unexpected kiss with Rhaenyra Targaryen.

12. Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan and Theo Nate) — House Velaryon

Laenor Velaryon spent much of his life balancing duty with the freedom to love the men he chose. Even after entering a political marriage with Rhaenyra, House of the Dragon never lost sight of the life — and the man — he truly wanted.

Rather than killing Laenor off, House of the Dragon gave him something almost unheard of in Westeros: the chance to escape with the person he loved. It was a rare happy ending in a franchise known for taking them away.

Key queer moments:

• S1E5 — Mourns the brutal death of his lover, Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, after Ser Criston Cole attacks him during the royal wedding feast.
• S1E6 — Continues his relationship with Qarl Correy despite his political marriage to Rhaenyra.
• S1E7 — Escapes Westeros with Qarl Correy after Rhaenyra and Daemon secretly help him fake his death.

13. Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod) — House Lonmouth

Ser Joffrey Lonmouth's time in Westeros was heartbreakingly short, but his relationship with Laenor became one of House of the Dragon's emotional foundations — and one fans still haven't recovered from.

His brutal death also serves as a reminder that, despite its progress in representation, Westeros remains an unforgiving place for many queer characters.

Key queer moment:

• S1E5 — Shares tender moments with Laenor Velaryon before Ser Criston Cole brutally kills him during the royal wedding feast.

14. Qarl Correy (Arty Froushan) — House Velaryon

Qarl arrived after tragedy, but ultimately helped Laenor chase something almost unheard of in Westeros: a happy ending. For that alone, he'll always have our thanks.

Their final escape together quietly subverted the franchise's long history of tragic queer romances.

Key queer moments:

• S1E6 — Continues his relationship with Laenor Velaryon despite Laenor's marriage to Rhaenyra.
• S1E7 — Helps Laenor fake his death so the pair can flee Westeros together.

15. Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn) — The Triarchy (Essos)

Fearsome, flirtatious, and proudly unconventional, Admiral Sharako Lohar quickly became one of House of the Dragon's most unforgettable queer additions.

Portrayed by Abigail Thorn, who is transgender, Sharako is a naval commander for the Triarchy and is introduced as a woman with multiple wives who also flirts with Tyland Lannister. Although other characters initially refer to her with he/him pronouns, the series ultimately presents Sharako as a woman while deliberately playing with Westeros' rigid ideas about gender. She fits comfortably under today's LGBTQ+ umbrella without the show assigning her a modern identity label.

Key queer moments:

• S2E8 — Introduced alongside references to her wives before propositioning Tyland Lannister.

🍒 Fruit for thought: Rhaenyra Targaryen & Alicent Hightower

Fans have spent two seasons debating whether Rhaenyra and Alicent's relationship is House of the Dragon's greatest almost-love story.

Unlike George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, HBO's adaptation transforms the pair from distant historical figures into inseparable childhood friends whose relationship becomes the emotional heart of the series. Their relationship unfolds through quiet, intimate moments: Rhaenyra resting in Alicent's lap beneath the weirwood tree, dreaming of flying away together on dragonback, Alicent carefully preserving the torn page from the history book they cherished as girls, and their emotionally charged reunion in the Great Sept years later. Even as politics forces them onto opposite sides of a civil war, the series repeatedly returns to the question of what their lives — and perhaps their relationship — might have looked like if duty had never come between them.

That reading isn't just fan speculation. Showrunner Ryan Condal, writer Sara Hess, and stars Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Milly Alcock, and Emily Carey have all acknowledged the romantic and emotional undercurrents between the two women, helping turn Rhaenicent into one of television's most beloved sapphic ships.

They're not part of our official list because the relationship never becomes explicitly romantic onscreen. But if you've spent any time on social media, you already know Team Rhaenicent has already claimed the Iron Throne.