54n a recent monday afternoon, the queen was taking
her tea. “Could I just be more English than sense itself and get an
Earl Grey?” asks Emilia Clarke from the deep folds of a leather ches-
terfield sofa in the so-called Drawing Room of her downtown Man-
hattan hotel. The young waiter is only too happy to oblige, though
it’s unclear whether he knows he’s in the presence of the Khalee-
si, Mother of Dragons and rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.
That being said, seven seasons into HBO’s Game of Thrones – a cultural phenomenon that
plays in no fewer than 170 countries, has inspired countless tattoos and baby namings, and
has proved to be the network’s most popular show of all time – it’s more than likely that he
does. Clarke smiles and tucks her feet up under her. “I’m crap at getting recognised,” she con-
fides. “People are like, ‘Oh, hey!’ And I’m like” – she starts yelling – “ ‘God! Oh, hi! I’m sorry!’ ”How ‘Game of Thrones’
turned Emilia Clarke into
The a real-life warrior^
Queen
Dragons
Te l l s A l l
o f
By ALEX
MORRIS
Photograph byMARK
SELIGER