

Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to Marie Claire. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
It's a truth (or at least fan theory) universally acknowledged that Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen are going to get together by the end of Game of Thrones. George R.R. Martin's series is called A Song of Ice and Fire after all. But, since the R+L=J theory turned out to be very true, it's also a truth universally acknowledged that Jon and Dany are related. The only part that's not understood is exactly how they're related. But good news: It's not as complicated as it seems. Let's start with the Targaryen family basics.
The Targaryens
The Targaryen family tree is a ~whole thing~ but don't worry: You don't need to memorize it—Daenerys' immediate family is all that matters here.
Dany has two brothers: Rhaegar and Viserys. All three were the children of Aerys II, AKA The Mad King. To put all of that into context, The Mad King ruled Westeros before Robert Baratheon. He's the guy Jaime Lannister killed, earning him that lovely nickname "Kingslayer."
Now, let's talk about Dany's brothers. First, there's Viserys (who we met in Season 1), the guy who sold Dany to a rapist in an attempt to raise an army (this endeavor did not end well...as in, he died a gruesome death). More importantly, we have Dany's brother Rhaegar, which brings us to....
How Jon fits in
This is a good time to remind everyone that R+L=J stands for Rhaegar+Lyanna=Jon. That's right: Dany's brother Rhaegar Targaryen is Jon Snow's real, biological father. So where does that leave us on the issue of just how he and Dany are related?
RELATED STORIES
The short version
Dany is Jon's aunt. That's it. They're not cousins, they are in no way "removed." She is just straight up his aunt and he's her nephew.
So...can they still end up together?
Yes! In the Game of Thrones world, they totally, definitely can. Targaryens have a long history of marrying siblings (see the chart above) in an attempt to keep their mystical, dragon-infused bloodline pure (if Dany had been older, she probably would have married Rhaegar—wrap your head around that). So by their standards, an aunt and nephew are almost not related enough.
Given the recent revelations of seasons seven and the beginnings of eight, we did a deep dive into whether these two could even get married, which you can check out here.
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
RELATED STORIES
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Paris Hilton Had a Barbie Moment With Sister Nicky at Paris Fashion Week
I could not possibly be more obsessed.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Taylor Swift Attended Yet Another of Travis Kelce's Games—And This Time She Brought About 700 Celebs With Her
Bleachers over here looking like the Oscars...
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Tina Knowles Praises Both Her Daughter Beyoncé and Taylor Swift on Their Tour Successes: “To [Be] Able to Stimulate the Economy is No Small Feat”
Two words—Renaissance and Eras—have defined the summer musically.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
'SATC' Star Evan Handler Says He'll "Welcome" Kim Cattrall's Return on His TV Set
She didn't see anyone while filming her cameo.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Everyone Wants Lindsay Lohan on Season 3 of 'White Lotus,' And It Could Actually Happen (If We're Lucky)
Please??????
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
An 'American Idol' Contestant Called Out Katy Perry for "Mom-Shaming" Her
She was really upset by the comment.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Jennifer Coolidge Addressed the Fan Campaign for Pamela Anderson to Play Her Sister on 'White Lotus'
She's a big fan, too.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Sarah Hyland and Adam Devine Play 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
The 'Modern Family' stars reunited for the 'Pitch Perfect' spinoff series.
By Brooke Knappenberger
-
The 78 Best Celebrity Couple Halloween Costumes of All Time
Honestly, we're impressed.
By Charlotte Chilton
-
Super Rare Photos of Queen Elizabeth as a Young Woman
From childhood snapshots to portraits as a young princess, beautiful and rare photos of the late Queen Elizabeth as a young woman.
By Mehera Bonner
-
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla's Relationship: A Timeline
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles has ascended to the throne as king.
By The Editors