Westeros

Another view of King Robert (Mark Addy), Princess Myrcella (Aimee Richardson), and Prince Tommen (Callum Wharry). Notably, Tommen is not at all the plump little boy that he is described as in the books. There’s some excellent costuming details here—note the sleeves of Tommen’s shirt—and once again is struck by the fairly unembroidered style to garments. Robert’s tunic or doublet is particularly noteworthy, with the metallic appliques at the shoulder and what seems to be a two-color sleeve; big blocks of color seem to be part of the design brief. The two-hue sleeves led to the neat speculation that the king’s tailor is using every trick he knows to try and make the rotund king look slimmer, which is a great idea.  We are told by an extra who was on set that the king also has a long robe or coat which he wore in this scene at some point.

Two details we were remiss not to remark are the references to the Baratheon heraldic sigil, the crowned stag. Robert’s crown in the series is never described at all, but the take here is great. The points of the crown deliberately echo a stag’s antlers, which is very fitting the style of crowns which we do see described in the series. Continuing the stag theme, there’s a sort of wooden or leather stag to the immediate left of Myrcella, garish in that particularly medieval fashion of pageantry. Will be great to get a better look at it on the series.

Although some complain that this clothing seems too simple, I for one think it fits the particular aesthetic they’re going for. While they could as easily have gone in the direction of the early Renaissance (e.g. The Tudors), and there’s an argument that can be made that at least some of the fashions as described in the novels fit this, this plainer style seems earthier and more fitting a rougher sort of medieval realm.

These scenes were shot on the estate grounds of Shane’s Castle.

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