Both portrayed two great queens in the history of the Targaryen dynasty, and both faced a bitter fate: Daenerys and Rhaenyra Targaryen never crossed paths in Westeros’ chronicles, but their respective Emilia Clarke and Emma D’Arcy finally had the chance to meet on the stage of the Emmy Awards 2026. An unexpected but all the more welcome reunion, accompanied by a performance by Emilia Clarke who, for the occasion, even dusted off High Valyrian, entertaining the audience for a moment.
House of the Dragon meets The Game of Thrones: the Targaryen queens reunion you didn’t expect at the Emmys 2026
Invited as presenters for the category of best actress in a miniseries or TV movie at the Emmy Awards 2026, the prize later awarded to Sally Field for Bright Creatures on Netflix, Emma D’Arcy and Emilia Clarke offered the audience a reunion that we will never see on screen. Emilia Clarke contributed to the success of The Game of Thrones by playing one of the most beloved and controversial characters, while Emma D’Arcy led as the lead in House of the Dragon, the prequel in which she portrays Rhaenyra Targaryen. Bound by dragonblood, Daenerys and Rhaenyra Targaryen were both queens of their eras, both in possession of dragons and determined to prove their worth.
Unfortunately, we know Daenerys’ story did not end happily in The Game of Thrones, while that of Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon will soon conclude with the fourth and final season currently in development. In the meantime, to temper the waiting period, the two stars took to the Emmy stage to entertain the audience and fans, paying homage to Westeros. “In the universe of The Game of Thrones, Emilia is my long-lost descendant,” quipped Emma D’Arcy, before revealing to the audience that Emilia would deliver a brief speech in High Valyrian. The camera also captured David Benioff, co-creator of The Game of Thrones, seated in the audience and clearly amused.
What unfolds in House of the Dragon takes place long before the rise of Daenerys Targaryen. Rhaenyra is deeply involved in what most people know as the Dance of the Dragons, the civil war that shattered the mighty house and led to the extinction of the fire-breathing creatures. Centuries later, Daenerys Targaryen will attempt to restore her name with three dragons at her side. Although these two formidable female figures have often been compared, Emma D’Arcy explained to Entertainment Weekly why she believes their paths diverge: “Perhaps part of me is rather reluctant to blur too many lines [between the characters] because I feel that the journey shaping Rhaenyra is truly specific. Rhaenyra, up until the third season, seeks to weigh different versions of her leadership role based on the guidance and advice she receives from various friends and colleagues. I wanted to preserve as many future possibilities for that character, for as long as possible.”
Even though The Game of Thrones concluded in 2019, House of the Dragon is set to finish its story in 2028 with the fourth season currently in development.
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