While House of the Dragon is filled with forbidden romances, political marriages and complicated family relationships, the stars of the HBO drama tend to keep their own love lives much more private.

Still, several cast members have offered occasional glimpses into their relationships. Olivia Cooke found romance with fellow House of the Dragon actor Ralph Davis, while Paddy Considine has been married to his longtime wife, Shelley Considine, for decades.

Other stars, including Matt Smith and Emma D’Arcy, have largely kept their personal lives away from the spotlight, despite being linked to other actors and public figures.

With Season 3 of the Game of Thrones prequel debuting in June 2026, here is a look at what is publicly known about the real-life relationships of some of the show’s biggest stars.

Matt Smith

Matt Smith plays Prince Daemon Targaryen, whose complicated relationship with his niece, Rhaenyra Targaryen, becomes one of the central romances in House of the Dragon.

Away from the series, Smith has generally kept his romantic life private. He has previously been linked to actresses Lily James and Emma Laird.

Although his relationships have attracted public attention over the years, the actor rarely discusses his personal life in detail.

Emma D’Arcy and Thomas May Bailey

Emma D’Arcy plays Rhaenyra Targaryen, the heir to the Iron Throne whose most important romantic relationship in the series is with Daemon.

D’Arcy has also maintained a relatively private personal life. The actor has been linked to Thomas May Bailey, with the pair beginning to share photos of each other in 2020.

Their professional connection continued in 2023, when they worked together on Bailey’s short film The Talent. More recently, the pair appeared alongside each other while promoting Season 3 of House of the Dragon.

D’Arcy previously offered a rare glimpse into their relationship during a 2022 interview with Entertainment Weekly. They revealed that their partner helped them prepare for their House of the Dragon audition and even assisted with their hair extensions during taped auditions.

“For 24 hours, me and my partner just … kept trying [to find] something that gave me the illusion I had long hair,” D’Arcy recalled.

They also explained that their partner would spend about an hour and a half doing their hair extensions before they taped scenes.

Olivia Cooke and Ralph Davis

Olivia Cooke portrays Alicent Hightower, who eventually becomes the second wife of King Viserys I Targaryen after beginning the story as Rhaenyra’s close friend.

In real life, Cooke found romance with her House of the Dragon costar Ralph Davis, who played the knight Leon Estermont. His character was later killed off during Season 2.

The pair were first romantically linked in 2024 and were spotted kissing in July 2025. Cooke later opened up about their relationship, admitting that other people apparently noticed their chemistry before she did.

“Everyone else could see it but me,” she told The Sunday Times in December 2025.

Cooke recalled that their first hookup did not initially seem like the beginning of a serious relationship.

“We had a snog, and that was it,” she said.

Over time, however, she realized their connection was something more.

“I do think love is cringe, but love is to be celebrated,” Cooke said. She also described the feeling of being in a relationship as having “your nervous system be at rest.”

Before finding romance with Davis, Cooke had described her experiences with dating apps as “awful.” She later praised Davis as “a very therapised man, which is amazing.”

Fabien Frankel

Fabien Frankel plays Ser Criston Cole, whose doomed romance with Rhaenyra becomes one of the catalysts for the conflict that follows in House of the Dragon.

Frankel has largely kept his own romantic life out of the public eye. However, he has spoken about his understanding of love and how it influenced his portrayal of Criston.

In a 2022 interview with The New York Times, Frankel reflected on the lasting impact of first love.

“First love is first love,” he said. “I think everyone will always love the person that they fell in love with for the first time.”

He compared the feeling to discovering a beautiful piece of music for the first time, explaining that the memory of that initial experience can remain powerful even after hearing the song countless times.

“So yeah, he will always love Rhaenyra,” Frankel said of Criston.

More recently, Frankel has been linked to marketing professional Olivia Monjardin. The pair attended a BAFTA Film Awards event together in February 2026 and were also seen together at the French Open in June 2026.

Paddy Considine and Shelley Considine

Paddy Considine played King Viserys I Targaryen, whose marriage to Alicent Hightower becomes one of the most consequential political unions in the series.

Off screen, Considine has a very different kind of long-term love story.

The actor has been married to Shelley Considine for decades. The couple have been together since they were teenagers and now live in Burton, England, with their three children.

Considine has spoken openly about how important family life is to him and how he has tried to maintain a grounded lifestyle despite his successful acting career.

In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, he emphasized the importance of having a life outside the entertainment industry.

“When your group of friends are just people in the industry, it’s dangerous,” he said, explaining that he had seen successful people become increasingly disconnected from everyday life.

“I live a pretty quiet existence,” Considine added.

While House of the Dragon is built around power struggles, forbidden relationships and marriages shaped by political ambition, the real-life love stories of its cast are often far more private — ranging from long-lasting marriages to relationships that began behind the scenes of the hit HBO series.

Source: Compiled from various sources