If you've ever wanted a knighthood, now is your chance. Well... sort of. While George R.R. Martin isn't internationally recognized royalty, he is absolutely royalty to geeks around the globe. The A Song of Ice and Fire author will be at the fan premiere of upcoming spinoff series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to bestow knighthoods on a few lucky fans.
2026 will be the most prolific year in Game of Thrones universe history. The franchise will air more episodes in the calendar year than it ever has, through two prequel spinoffs: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon. The former is unlike anything fans have seen before. It's a more intimate and personal story, following the adventures of unlikely knight-for-hire (aka 'Hedge Knight') Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his squire Aegon Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell) better known simply as Egg. The series is based on a series of novellas by George R.R. Martin, titled The Tales of Dunk and Egg.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will make its premiere on January 18, 2026. Ahead of the fan premiere in Los Angeles, HBO has teamed up with George R.R. Martin to launch a competition. They're calling for real-life knights to win a trip to attend the LA Fan Premiere, where they will be knighted by Martin himself.
Know any real-life knights? You could win a trip to attend the LA Fan Premiere for HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to see your nominee knighted by George R.R. Martin.
— Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) December 8, 2025
Using #KnightChallenge on TikTok, tag someone you know who embodies courage, valor, honor & sacrifice to… pic.twitter.com/kt6gyrcInh
To enter the competition, worthy entrants must be nominated by people who belive they embody what it takes to be a real-life knight. "I'm searching for modern day knights," Martin said in the announcement video. "Inspired by our hero Ser Duncan the Tall. Do you know someone who lives by the knightly ideals — Honor, courage, self-sacrifice? Nominate them, no armor required. Make a quick video telling us why they deserve it. Or even better, show them in action Who knows? I might just knight them at our premiere."
Fans are invited to make a video on TIkTok, explaining why their nominee is worthy of being invited to the premiere. In order to be entered into the competition, the video must contain the hastag #KnightChallenge. Only US fans are able to participate. No purchase is necessary. The contest is live now and it closes at 12PM ET on January 2, 2026.
More information is available on the official HBO Knight Challenge website here. Good luck, folks. And yes, we are very, very jealous of whoever wins. The rest of us will watch A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms when it premieres on HBO on January 18, 2026.