The novel has a different fate for Laenor Velaryon to the HBO show, whose showrunner Miguel Sapochnik told Newsweek it’s « important that the franchise evolve. »
Episode 7 of the show made some surprising changes to the story, particularly when it came to one character: Ser Laenor Velaryon, played by John Macmillan.
Laenor is the husband of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), though they are husband and wife in name only, since they were betrothed to one another despite the fact that Laenor is gay.
Princess Rhaenyra struck a deal with Laenor that if they wed, she would be fine with him continuing to have a lover, so long as she could also have her own. However, this does bring into question the legitimacy of their children.
However, episode 7 saw Rhaenyra look elsewhere and admit to her uncle Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) that she wanted to be wed to him.
