Kit Harington and Rose Leslie's Relationship Timeline

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Luca Teuchmann/Luca Teuchmann / WireImage

Kit HaringtonandRose Leslie’sGame of Thronesromance may not have lasted on-screen, but behind the scenes, their relationship was just beginning.

The couple first connected during the second season of the HBO series when they portrayed star-crossed lovers Jon Snow and Ygritte. While their relationship was cut short in the storyline, the pair continued to spark dating rumors off-screen among fans.

It took nearly four years for the extremely private couple to actually confirm their relationship during their first red carpet outing in 2016. Just a year later, Harington popped the question, and in June 2018, theytied the knotin front of their friends, family and costars. Since then, the couple has experienced the highs and lows of marriage,dealing with personal struggleswhile also celebrating career milestones and the births of two children.

In February 2023, Harington shared with Jimmy Fallon onThe Tonight Showthat he and Leslie wereexpecting their second child.

From on-screen lovers to walking down the aisle in real life, here’s everything you need to know about Kit Harington and Rose Leslie’s relationship.

October 2011: Kit Harington and Rose Leslie begin working together on the set ofGame of Thrones

Kit Harington and Rose Leslie inGame of Thrones.Helen Sloan/HBO

In the fall of 2011, Leslie landeda guest starring roleon the second season ofGame of Thrones. While it’s not known exactly when she and Harington began filming together, the pair had met prior to being cast as love interests on the HBO series.

“We had known each other before we started working together onGame of Thrones. It was always such a privilege to be working opposite him and such a blessing that we get on in real life because it made our characters more believable,” Leslielater told PEOPLE.

November 2011:Kit Harington and Rose Leslie"fall in love" while filming season 2

Neilson Barnard/Getty

It didn’t take long for Harington and Leslie to fall for each other while filming the show. Looking back on his favorite memories fromGame of Thrones, Harington said the best moments happened while filming season 2 in Iceland, where the duo’s on-screen relationship helped foster a real-life love connection.

“The three weeks in Iceland when we were shooting the second season. Because the country is beautiful, because the Northern Lights are magical, and because it was there that I fell in love. If you’re already attracted to someone, and then they play your love interest in the show, it becomes very easy to fall in love,” Harington told L’Uomo Vogue.

August 24, 2012: Kit Harington and Rose Leslie are spotted in London amid dating rumors

August 2013:Kit Harington and Rose Lesliebriefly call it quits

One year after they were spotted out to dinner together for the first time, the couplereportedly broke up for a brief period.

July 26, 2014:Kit Harington and Rose Lesliereunite after their split

Leslie and Harington didn’t part ways for long. Less than a year later, theysparked reconciliation rumorswhen they were spotted looking cozy as they arrived at LAX airport together in Los Angeles. After arriving on the west coast, they appeared on a panel at San Diego Comic-Con.

August 25, 2015:Kit Harington and Rose Leslieare spotted holding hands in London

The couple kept their romance quiet following the reconciliation and were only seen together a handful of times. On one occasion, afan captured a photoof Harington and Leslie at Heathrow Airport standing close together on an escalator.

January 30, 2016: Kit Harington and Rose Leslie look cozy together during a shopping trip

Harington and Leslie showed some PDA while stepping out for a shopping trip in Los Angeles. In the photos, the couple could be seen holding hands and sharing a kiss.

April 3, 2016: Kit Harington and Rose Leslie make their red carpet debut at the Olivier Awards

Dave Benett/Getty

In April 2016, Harington and Leslie officially confirmed their romance when they made their red carpet debut at the Olivier Awards in London. The couple was all smiles while walking the carpet, with Harington wearing a tuxedo while Leslie opted for a stunning Malene Oddershede Bach gold gown.

Early 2017: Kit Harington and Rose Leslie move in together

Sometime in early 2017, the couple took the next step in their relationship whenLeslie moved into Harington’s homein London. When asked about the new living situation, Harington said it was all going very well, though Leslie did have some big changes in store for their shared abode.

Harington continued, “I went to the shops and I came back and said, ‘What did you decide?’ And she said, ‘We’re moving the kitchen downstairs.’ "

May 24, 2017: Kit Harington explains why the couple keeps their relationship private

While Harington had been open about the couple’s living situation, he explained that he wasn’t willing to share any more information about their relationship during aninterview withEsquire.

When asked about how the couple’s romance came to be on set, Harington said that he preferred to keep things private because it was a shared relationship and not just his to speak about.

“It’s as much her relationship as it is mine and I can’t speak for both of us. But yeah, we are very, very happy. So that’s what I’ll say about that,“Harington said.

September 26, 2017: Kit Harington and Rose Leslie announce their engagement

“I did have some plans to do it, I was going to string up some lights in some trees and do all the romantic stuff, but we were in the country and we were under this beautiful night sky and had a log fire burning and red wine and I blew my load early. Sorry, that’s a really bad expression!” Harington said on The Jonathan Ross Show.

June 23, 2018:Kit Harington and Rose Leslieofficially tie the knot

Rose Leslie and Kit Harington.SplashNews.com

September 2018: Kit Harington says the most important part ofGame of Throneswas meeting Rose Leslie

At the Emmys in September 2018, Harington reflected on his career and his time onGame of Thrones— which he said completely changed his life bothprofessionally and personally.

“It gave me my future family and my life from here on in. That’s the main thing it did for me, and it’s changed it completely. The last 10 years, you could not ask for a better job to have in your 20s, to take you through your 20s than to be an actor inGame of Thrones. It’s been the most amazing thing. It’s changed it completely,“Harington saidin the Emmys press room.

April 2019: Kit Harington says he’d like to be a father

Ahead of the series finale ofGame of Thrones, Harington revealed that he and Leslie werehoping to have children one day. While discussing the milestone moment in his career, the actor called the show the most important job of his life before quickly changing his mind.

“The most important job I’ll ever have is about to finish,” hetoldInStyle, before clarifying, “Well, not the most. Hopefully, I’ll be a father.”

April 12, 2019: Kit Harington says he and Rose Leslie are excited to “break free” ofGame of Thrones

Rose Leslie and Kit Harington at the Game of Thrones season 8 premiere.Andrew H. Walker/Variety/REX/Shutterstock

Just a month before theGame of Thronesfinale, Harington explained that he and Leslie were excited to befinished with that chapter of their lives. He added that the couple had actively been trying to distance themselves from their fictional counterparts.

June 2019: Kit Harington andRose Lesliecelebrate their 1st wedding anniversary

Prior to the couple’s first wedding anniversary, Harington checked into a treatment center while dealing with “some personal issues.” The actor’s repconfirmed to PEOPLEthat he was utilizing the “break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat.”

After leaving the treatment center, Haringtonreturned to Londonto celebrate the couple’s anniversary. Sources close to the duotold PEOPLEthat they were “enjoying the summer, spending time with family and friends.”

“Kit seems well. And Rose seems happy that he is back in London. While he was in Connecticut, she waslaying low. It seemed their focus was just getting Kit feeling better. And he does look better. Kit and Rose seem happy,“the source added.

September 2020: Rose Leslie reveals she’s pregnant with the couples' first child

Steve Granitz/WireImage

October 2020: Rose Leslie shares her excitement about her pregnancy

“I am thrilled to be expecting, and I can’t wait to meet the new member of our family!” Leslietold theNew York Post.

August 2021: Kit Harington opens up about fatherhood for the first time

Mike Coppola/Getty

“They tell you but they don’t; everyone goes, ‘Look, it’s big. What you’re about to go through is big.’ And you have no way of knowing that until it happens. Then what surprises you is you go, ‘Oh, this goes on forever!’ You don’t get a break from it. You’re just like…every day I wake up and look after this little human and now we’re part of a unit together,” Harington said in aninterview withAccess.

He added, “You are now a unit, the three of you. That’s a whole new dynamic you need to find, and pretty much find every day as he grows and changes, and how does that change you? It’s a beautiful thing, it really is.”

April 2022: Rose Leslie gets candid about Kit Harington’s addiction recovery

In April 2022, Leslie got candid aboutdealing with Harington’s alcohol addiction recoveryfollowing his stay in a treatment center in 2019. While Leslie praised her husband’s ability to recognize his addiction issues, she explained that if it were not for rehab, “he would be in a very different headspace right now.”

The actress added that Harington is “doing well” now that they’re “several years into his sobriety.”

“I’ve learnt a lot about addiction and it’s something Kit is forever going to be aware of, but it’s on him whether he chooses to drink again. No amount of nannying is going to be able to stop him from doing what he decides to do … I don’t choose to put that pressure on myself. The responsibility of his behaviour is on him. It’s not on me to guard him from it,” Leslie said in aninterview withHarper’s Bazaar UK.

May 11, 2022: Kit Harington supports Rose Leslie at theThe Time Traveler’s Wifepremiere

Angela Weiss / AFP

Harington and Leslie attended the New York City premiere of the actress' new HBO show,The Time Traveler’s Wife, where they posed for photos together on the red carpet.

September 2022: Kit Harington discusses fatherhood at the Toronto International Film Festival

During an interview with PEOPLE, he shared that the parallels between him and his character made him want to pursue the project.

“It was a stranger that had been planted into my house, now I had to look after the stranger, and the stranger was keeping me up all night,” he joked. “It takes time to grow love, to get to know someone.”

January 19, 2023: Kit Harington and Rose Leslie attend Paris Fashion Week

Edward Berthelot/Getty

Harington and Leslie coordinated in blazers and loose trousers at the Louis Vuitton Fall 2023 Menswear fashion show. TheGame of Thronesstar wore a bright yellow suit jacket, while Leslie looked chic in a military-inspired blazer.

February 4, 2023: Kit Harington announces that he and Rose Leslie are expecting their second child

Samir Hussein/WireImage

A rep for the couple confirmed that Harrington and Lesliewelcomed a second child.

“[They are] delighted to have welcomed a little girl into the family,” the rep shared.

August 5, 2024: Kit Harington says his daughter took her first steps

While talking toExtraas he promoted the third season of his HBO seriesIndustry, Harington shared a rare update on the two children he shares with Leslie.

“My little girl justtook her first stepsthe other day,” he said. “I’m doing a play in London, and I’m missing them a lot. I have a boy and a girl now. I couldn’t be more blessed. They are the most beautiful children in every single way. They are just gorgeous.”

source: people.com