Alicent Hightower

Queen Alicent Hightower is the second wife of King Viserys I Targaryen and daughter of Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King.

Biography

Alicent Hightower is the daughter of Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King. She has a number of brothers, the eldest being Ser Gwayne Hightower. From an early age, she has lived in the Red Keep and grown up among the royal family.

At the Dragonpit Alicent greets Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, who has just returned from a ride on her dragon Syrax. Rhaenyra asks her if she would like to accompany her on dragonback sometime, but she politely declines. Alicent travels with the princess back to the Red Keep by carriage. Alicent and Rhaenyra pay a visit to a heavily pregnant Queen Aemma in her chambers.

Later that day Alicent tries to go over a history book with Rhaenyra in the godswood of the Red Keep but at first she isn't interested, until Alicent brings up the approaching birth of King Viserys and Queen Aemma's child which she states could overshadow her and displace the princess's position in the line of succession, if it's a boy. Alicent is shocked when Rhaenyra rips a page from the book, warning the princess that Septa Marlow won't be happy. Rhaenyra responds with profanity and states she doesn't care about the septa, then they both laugh about it as they walk arm in arm.

Alicent sits beside the princess in the royal box at the Heir's Tournament. She informs Rhaenyra about House Cole of the Stormlands and she whispers to Rhaenyra about court gossip involving the betrothal of Lady Elinor Stokeworth and a young Massey squire, alleging that Elinor is already with child. Alicent is anxious when Prince Daemon Targaryen chooses her eldest brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower, as his first opponent in the joust, biting her fingernails until Rhaenyra grabs her hand reassuringly. She is frightened, putting her hand to her mouth, when Daemon trips Gwayne's horse, throwing him from the saddle and injuring his face. Daemon then asks Alicent for her favor, to which she obliges. She looks to her father, Ser Otto, before placing a laurel wreath on Daemon's lance. She is later amazed to discover that Ser Criston Cole is Dornish.

Alicent attends the funeral of Queen Aemma and Prince Baelon as they are cremated by Syrax's flames.

Alicent is later summoned to the Tower of the Hand by her father. She is embraced by Otto and is asked about how Rhaenyra is coping with her mother and brother's deaths, then is told to go and offer her condolences to the grieving king in his chambers, being told to stop biting her fingernails and to wear one of her mother's dresses.

Alicent is escorted into King Viserys's chambers by the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Ryam Redwyne. She brings her favorite history book with her as the king is passionate about the subject, for which Viserys thanks her. After a moment's silence she brings up her own mother's death stating that people only spoke to her in riddles, wishing someone had only said sorry to her for what had happened. She offers her condolences to the king for what happened to his wife and son.

Alicent and her father are in attendance at the ceremony naming Rhaenyra as Princess of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne.

At her father's urging, Alicent becomes closer to the king, and spends time with him privately. The king chooses Alicent for his wife. They marry and Alicent soon gives birth to her first son, Prince Aegon.

Three years later, Alicent celebrates Aegon's second nameday with her family and she is pregnant again.

Following Daemon and Rhaenyra's nighttime escapade into the streets of King's Lander, Ser Otto reports to King Viserys that the two were seen coupling together in a brothel. Alicent overhears the exchange and confronts Rhaenyra in the Godswood. Rhaenyra vehemently denies the story, but Alicent is still visibly shaken.

In the books

Alicent's father Otto Hightower had been Hand of the King in the last few years of the long reign of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen. In 101 AC Otto brought the 15 year old Alicent to the royal court, where she cared for the aging king (who was left a broken shell after the recent death of his queen of many years, Alysanne, and then his second son Baelon a year later). Jaehaerys died in 103 AC and was succeeded by his grandson Viserys I, who ruled for 26 years. Her father Otto remained as Hand of the King for Viserys I, and Otto's older brother in time succeeded as head of House Hightower.

Alicent is described as looking quite young for her age, even well into her 40s. Despite having four pregnancies, Alicent maintained her youthful figure. In her youth, Alicent was said to be one of the most comely maidens in Westeros, but also precociously clever.

Alicent's father Otto wasn't the head of House Hightower, but the younger brother of the unnamed head of the family - by the time of the Dance, Otto's nephew Ormund was the ruler of House Hightower and Oldtown. Alicent's mother was never mentioned in the books at all, to the point that her absence from scenes at the royal court may imply that she died years before the Dance of the Dragons. Alicent had an unspecified number of siblings, but the only one ever identified was her youngest brother Gwayne. She also had numerous cousins.