Bernadette

Bernadette
Political information
Affiliation(s)	House Lannister
World of Westeros
Series	Game of Thrones
Season(s)	2 · 3 · 4 · 6 · 7
Appeared in	6 episodes (see below)
First seen in	"A Man Without Honor"
Last seen in	"The Queen's Justice"
Portrayed by	Sara Dylan

"Forgive me, Your Grace. You told me to come at once if there was anything important."

―Bernadette to Cersei Lannister

Bernadette is a handmaiden of House Lannister who served in the Red Keep.

Biography

Game of Thrones: Season 2

Shae holds a knife to Bernadette's throat.

She is a handmaiden to Sansa Stark. She finds Sansa and Shae trying to turn over her mattress to conceal Sansa's first flowering. She attempts to inform Queen Cersei but Shae threatens her with a knife to keep quiet. Nevertheless, the Queen is informed by Sandor Clegane.

Game of Thrones: Season 3

Bernadette continues to be assigned to Sansa. She announces Tyrion Lannister when he calls on Sansa to "propose" to her.

Game of Thrones: Season 4

Bernadette continues to spy on Tyrion for Cersei and discovers that his real secret lover is actually Shae. She then enters Cersei's chambers, while Jaime is present, to inform her of something "important".

Game of Thrones: Season 6

Bernadette informs Cersei about Myrcella's arrival.

After Sansa's departure from King's Landing, Bernadette now seems to be serving Cersei herself. She notifies Cersei that a ship has arrived from Dorne. Later, at the day of Cersei's trial by the Faith, she helps Cersei into her clothes, moments before the Destruction of the Great Sept.

Game of Thrones: Season 7

Bernadette informs Cersei of Tycho's arrival.

Following Cersei's coronation, Bernadette begins to wear dark robes and cut her hair short as the court fashion for women is now mimicking Cersei's appearance. One morning, Bernadette goes to the Queen's room to inform her that Tycho Nestoris is waiting for her. While there, Bernadette spots an undressed Jaime in the bed of his sister, as Cersei decides that they would no longer hide their incestuous love affair. Although clearly surprised, Bernadette is wise enough not to comment and to simply deal with Cersei's instructions right away.

Behind the scenes

There is no character named "Bernadette" in the novels, and it doesn't seem to match their fantasy world. The character is never actually called that aloud and the name is apparently purely from the filming credits. This name was probably given after Bernadette Caulfield, one of the major producers on the TV series.

In the books

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, both Sansa and Tyrion are aware that all of Sansa's maids are spies for Cersei. Thus Sansa is careful not to reveal her true feelings to any of them and Tyrion takes precautions when he meets Shae.

When Tyrion hears servants joke about him that he still has not had sex with Sansa, he figures that Sansa's maids are the ones who spread the gossip. Tyrion complains to his father about Sansa's maids being women in Cersei's service. Tywin answers nonchalantly that if Tyrion doesn't like his wife's servants, he can dismiss them and hire new ones. Tyrion does so, hiring Shae (who unlike in the series, is utterly indifferent to Sansa) and another woman named Brella. Sansa feels more comfortable around them, but is still careful.

Appearances

• – "A Man Without Honor"
• – "The Climb"
• – "Two Swords"
• – "The Red Woman"
• – "The Winds of Winter"
• – "The Queen's Justice"