Renly Baratheon

Renly Baratheon is a recurring character in Game of Thrones. He is played by guest star Gethin Anthony and debuts in the third episode of the first season.

Renly is the youngest brother of King Robert Baratheon. He is the Lord of Storm's End and a member of the King's small council in King's Landing, on which he served as Master of Laws. He is fourth in line to the throne, behind his nephews Joffrey and Tommen and his older brother Stannis, but nevertheless has proclaimed himself King on the Iron Throne following Robert's death.

Season 1
Renly greets Eddard Stark, whom he knew when younger, upon his arrival at King's Landing. Renly is the only member of the small council whom Eddard greets warmly. Renly agrees with Eddard's assessment that his Robert's profligate spending is damaging the realm.

Renly irritates Lord Commander Janos Slynt by questioning his competence to command the City Watch if he cannot keep the peace. Renly bets on his not-so-secret lover, Ser Loras Tyrell, to win a joust against Ser Gregor Clegane. He wins a signficant sum of money from Littlefinger, who mocks his homosexuality. Later, he supports Robert's proposed assassination of Daenerys Targaryen. Loras suggests that Renly claim the Iron Throne for himself and offers the support of the rich and powerful House Tyrell. Renly points out that he is fourth in line to the throne, behind his two nephews and his older brother, Stannis. Loras counters that Robert claimed the throne through strength of arms alone and asserts that the realm will not follow Joffrey because he is a monster, Tommen because he is too young, or Stannis who "has the personality of a lobster".

Renly goes hunting with Robert and his retinue. He quarrels with Robert over his glorification of the past; in Robert's words "simpler times" which were in fact more bloody than he is willing to admit. Robert is gored by a boar off screen.

As Robert lays dying Renly suggests to Eddard that they take Joffrey prisoner and hold him hostage to neutralize House Lannister and allow Renly to seize the throne. Eddard instead supports Stannis' claim to the throne. Eddard says he will not dishonor Robert's final hours by taking children prisoner and shedding blood in the castle. Later, Eddard hears from Varys that Renly and Loras have fled the city.

At the Lannister camp, Kevan reports that both Renly and Stannis have laid claim to the throne. Elsewhere, Robb Stark rejects Jonos Bracken's suggestion they side with Renly and is instead declared King in the North by his bannermen.

Season 2
Season 2 opens with Renly having been crowned King with the support of the powerful House Tyrell, and meaning to press his claim to the throne with force if necessary.

In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels Renly is twenty-one when the events of the books begin. He is fifteen years younger than King Robert, whom he strongly resembles in appearance, charisma and skill at arms. Renly's older (and Robert's younger) brother Stannis is unlike either. Renly is the Lord of Storm's End, the ancestral keep of House Baratheon, a source of dissent between him and his brother Stannis, who holds the far colder, poorer and more isolated castle of Dragonstone in the King's name. Renly is tremendously friendly, open and honorable, but also has a tendency towards flippancy and not taking events seriously. His closest friend - and lover - at court is his former squire, Ser Loras Tyrell, now a formidable knight in his own right.

In the novels, the relationship between Loras and Renly is more subtly depicted than in the TV series, with only guarded references to the relationship in the interactions between other characters. However, author George R.R. Martin has independently confirmed that they were involved in a relationship.