Milly Alcock made a big impression on audiences in the first two episodes of “House of the Dragon” with her performance as King Viserys’ daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. She will soon be replaced with Emma D’Arcy as an older iteration of Rhaenyra, but Alcock has already had the opportunity to show off some of the best costume designs “House of the Dragon” has to offer. One costume, in particular, comes during the final scene of Episode 1, “The Heirs of the Dragon.”
During the episode, King Viserys must weigh his options in choosing a successor after his wife and son Baelon both die during childbirth. His currently named heir is his brother, Daemon Targaryen, who has no favor in Viserys’ small council and loses the king’s support when he publicly names Baelon “The Heir for a Day.” A furious Viserys promptly replaces Daemon in the line of succession with Rhaenys, ending the episode with a coronation ceremony to name her as his heir.
In this sequence, Rhaenyra’s costume reflects her Targaryen pride. It consists of red, black, and gold, the colors worn by her father during his big tournament. It’s a bad omen, but it looks very cool. She stands out in the throne room of the Red Keep, especially next to the dark and foreboding Iron Throne she will someday inherit. However, this outfit will later foreshadow Rhaenyra’s descent into full Targaryen madness as the royal succession doesn’t go her way.