‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Cast Guide: Who’s Who in the ‘Game of Thrones’ Prequel?

It’s time to journey back to Westeros.

HBO’s latest “Game of Thrones” prequel spinoff, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” goes back in time and zeroes in on a lowly hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), rather than focus on the grand politics of the Iron Throne. The show is a departure from the serious politics and dragon battles of “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon” and is a more humorous, grounded story of Ser Duncan’s journey through knighthood while at a jousting tourney. He’s also joined by a bald young squire named Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), who he meets along the way while also running into new Targaryens, Baratheons and more.

“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is based on a series of novellas by George R. R. Martin, the author of the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series and creator of the “Game of Thrones” world. The first novella, “The Hedge Knight,” was published in 1998 and introduced readers to Ser Duncan, aka Dunk, and Egg. Martin followed that up with “The Sworn Sword” in 2003 and “The Mystery Knight” in 2010, and he has plans for even more books in the “Dunk and Egg” series (but first he has to finish the final two books in “A Song of Ice and Fire” and the second part of “Fire & Blood,” on which “House of the Dragon” is based).

Meet Westeros’ newest characters in “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” below.

• Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey)

  You may remember hearing vague references to the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall here and there throughout “Game of Thrones,” but when we meet him in “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” he’s still an awkward, lanky guy going by his childhood nickname, Dunk.

  Dunk became Ser Duncan after being knighted by Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb), whom he spent years traveling with — and who very few people in Westeros have ever heard of. Since no one witnessed the knighting, Dunk has a hard time getting anyone to take him seriously. Still, he aspires to greatness.

• Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell)

  Egg, an adorable little bald boy, drives Dunk crazy. But he’s also his only friend. Dunk first runs into the child at an inn he sleeps at on his way to a jousting tourney. Egg immediately shows a defiant streak, sassing Dunk when he asks for help with his horse and later making fun of his clothes, truthfully telling Dunk he doesn’t look like a knight. Still, he asks Dunk to take him in as his squire, hopeful to leave the inn and see a bit more of the world. Though Dunk declines, Egg sets out on his own and essentially gives himself the squire job, building a fire and cooking dinner at Dunk’s camp before he returns for the night. And it’s Egg who tells Dunk that he ought to go by Ser Duncan to command more respect. They’re an odd pair, but they’re good for each other.

• Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb)

  Ser Arlan is an elderly hedge knight who was Dunk’s mentor. After his death in the premiere, Dunk takes Arlan’s sword and heads out to the tourney to become a knight himself.

• Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas)

  Raymun is the squire and cousin of Ser Steffon Fossoway, a knight at the tourney.

• Steffon Fossoway (Edward Ashley)

  Ashley (“The Lost City of Z,” “The Terror,” “Masters of the Air”) plays Steffon Fossoway. A knight and heir to House Fossoway of Cider Hall during King Daeron II Targaryen’s reign, Ser Steffon was one of the entrants in the tourney at Ashford Meadow, which is a key event in George R.R. Martin’s “The Hedge Knight” story about Ser Duncan and Egg.

• Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings)

  Best known for playing Luke Curran in the Channel 4/Netflix comedy series “Lovesick,” Ing plays Lyonel Baratheon. Nicknamed “Laughing Storm,” Lyonel was the Lord of Storm’s End and the head of House Baratheon during King Aegon V Targaryen’s reign on the Iron Throne. He is a charcter included in George R.R. Martin’s “Dunk and Egg” short story, “The Hedge Knight,” on which the HBO series is based. Ing’s other notable credits include “The Crown,” “Black Mirror,” “Sex Education” and The Gentlemen

• Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford)

  Australian actress Crawford (“Tiny Beautiful Things,” “Swift Street”) plays Tanselle. Nicknamed “Tanselle Too-Tall” in George R.R. Martin’s “The Hedge Knight” installment of his “Dunk and Egg” stories, Tanselle was a Dornish puppeteer during the reign of King Daeron II Targaryen.

• Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett)

  Aerion Targaryen is the second eldest son of Prince Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell). He’s a grandson of the king, but he and his brothers aren’t in line for the Iron Throne since Maekar has an older brother, Baelor. Aerion is played by Finn Bennett, best known for HBO’s “True Detective: Night Country,” Netflix’s “Black Doves” and the 2025 film “Warfare.”

• Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel)

  Baelor Targaryen is played by Bertie Carvel, whose credits include stage roles including Miss Trunchbull in “Matilda the Musical” and Rupert Murdoch in “Ink” and screen roles like “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (2021) and “The Crown.” Up next, he’ll be seen as Cornelius Fudge in HBO’s “Harry Potter” series.

  In “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” Baelor is the eldest son of King Daeron II, making him the crown prince of Westeros.

• Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell)

  Known for his work in the “Fargo” TV series (2014), “Legend” (2015) and “Small Axe” (2020), Spruell plays Maekar I Targaryen. Appearing in not only George R.R. Martin’s “The Hedge Knight,” the source material for “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” Maekar is referenced through Martin’s main “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series. He was the fourth son of King Daeron II Targaryen and was Prince of Summerhall and an army commander who served in two of the Blackfyre Rebellions.