House of the Dragon is a ratings juggernaut loved by millions for its high production value and great writing. On multiple occasions the show has used subtle imagery to convey important plot points. But there’s one thing that viewers are still confused about- Why was King Jaehaerys I Targaryen in white and gold robes while the rulers who came after him were always in red and black attire? We have the answer.

Why Did House Of The Dragon Only Dress King Jaehaerys I Targaryen In White And Gold? 

In House of the Dragon, we have seen three rulers till now. One is King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, other is King Viserys I Targaryen, and the recently crowned- Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen. But out of these three Targaryen rulers, only Jaehaerys I wears white and gold robes in his only appearance in the opening scene of the series. Never till now have we seen Rhaenyra or Viserys I wear anything that golden or white. And there are two reasons why.

One is that white and gold are royal colours used to represent nobility. In the opening scene of House of the Dragon, the production team needed audiences to understand right away who the King was. And so putting him in the center of the proceedings and in white and gold robes drew viewers attention towards him. This was especially necessary in a dark castle with low lighting.

Also, white and gold are colours that used to represent peace and prosperity. So putting Jaehaerys I in these colours indicates his historic peaceful rule of 50 years that won’t get replicated again. This is in contrast to the bloodshed that was going to come after him and the one that had come before him, thanks to King Maegor I Targaryen, nicknamed ‘The Cruel’ for his excessive love for torture and violence.

Why Was Young Rhaenyra Targaryen Often Put In White And Gold Attire?

Viewers will remember that young Rhaenyra (played by Milly Alcock) was often seen in gold and off-white dresses. This could have been used to convey that she was the rightful heir and the one who might have brought the same peace to the realm as Jaehaerys I did. Also, during the hunt, the White Hart showed himself to her and not to the hunting party led by her father to commemorate her brother’s birthday.

However, once Rhaenyra grew up, we seldom saw her in such gold and white dresses. As such, the colours for young Rhaenyra might have been used to show naivety (white) and royalty (gold).  Another theory states that she was in the off-white and gold dresses to mirror her dragon Syrax’s colours and to convey the audience the connection between a dragon and a rider.

What do you think? Why was young Rhaenyra seen in gold and white dresses so often? Let us know.