Egg is hiding his identity because he’s actually Aegon Targaryen (later King Aegon V), traveling in disguise so no one recognizes him as a royal and to let him live and learn as a “normal” person.

Quick Scoop: What’s Going On With Egg?

In George R.R. Martin’s Dunk and Egg stories (and the new A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms show), “Egg” is the nickname of a young Targaryen prince, Aegon. He shaves off his trademark silver‑gold Targaryen hair, wears plain clothes, and serves as a squire to the hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall so he can move around Westeros without drawing dangerous attention.

“Egg” looks like a poor bald kid with a straw hat, but he’s actually a prince hiding in plain sight.

This “why is Egg hiding his identity” question is trending now because the new prequel series has brought him into the spotlight, and fans are digging into the lore behind his disguise and future as Aegon V (“Aegon the Unlikely”).

Why Is Egg Hiding His Identity?

There are a few layered reasons, both practical and personal.

1. To avoid being recognized as a Targaryen prince

  • Targaryens are instantly recognizable by their silver‑gold hair, so Egg shaves his head so no one guesses who he is.
  • At Ashford Meadow, his older brother Daeron cuts his hair specifically so they can travel incognito and avoid the political danger that comes with being royal on the road.
  • Going by “Egg,” wearing rough clothes, and sticking to Dunk’s side helps him blend in as just another lowborn squire, not a hostage‑worthy prince.

2. To escape court life and learn how “smallfolk” really live

  • Egg dislikes the pampered, sheltered life at court and wants to see the real world, not just the version filtered through lords and maesters.
  • Traveling with a hedge knight means sleeping on the ground, tending horses, and eating what commoners eat, which shapes his sympathy for the lower classes.
  • Later lore suggests that this time on the road is a huge reason Aegon V becomes a more reform‑minded king who actually cares about peasants.

3. To experience a life he feels he earns , not one handed to him

  • Egg wants a life that feels “earned,” not guaranteed just because of his Targaryen name and bloodline.
  • Dunk gives him hard work, bruises, and moral lessons instead of flattery and politics, which Egg actively chooses over the comfort of the Red Keep.
  • By stripping away the visible symbols of power—hair, clothes, titles—he tests who he is without royal privilege.

How He Keeps His Identity Safeguarded

Egg hides, but he doesn’t completely erase who he is.

  • He keeps his father’s signet ring hidden in his boot as proof of his true identity if he ever needs to reveal it in an emergency.
  • In the novellas, there are key moments where he does reveal himself: stopping Aerion’s men from torturing Tanselle, lending Dunk his royal ring, and later openly siding with Bloodraven, which gradually spreads the truth that the bald squire might be royal.
  • This double life—living as a peasant squire while quietly carrying a king’s symbol in his shoe—shows the tension between who he is and how he wants to live.

Why This Matters for the Larger Story

Egg hiding his identity isn’t just a cute twist; it has long‑term consequences in the Game of Thrones universe.

  • The boy “Egg” eventually becomes King Aegon V Targaryen, known as “Aegon the Unlikely” because so many people stood ahead of him in the line of succession.
  • His empathy for commoners, shaped by his years traveling with Dunk, influences his later attempts to reform the realm and improve life for the smallfolk.
  • Fans and commentators argue that understanding Egg’s disguised childhood helps explain Targaryen politics, the tragedy of Summerhall, and even the backdrop to Daenerys’s story generations later.

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