HIT television series Game of Thrones returns on Monday with viewers eager to see what happens next in the mystical world of Westeros.

In the previous six series, Oxford has been well represented among the large cast but in a show famed for killing off its characters, only one remains.

Emilia Clarke, who plays the 'Mother of Dragons' Daenerys Targaryen in the award-winning HBO series shown on Sky Atlantic, is the city's only link to the series which has become a global phenomenon.

The 30-year-old actress spent much of her childhood in Oxford at Rye St Antony and then St Edward's School before heading to drama school.

Current pupil Sebastian Croft also featured in the programme last year as a young in flashback scenes Ned Stark but is not expected to feature this year with the older version of the character, played by Sean Bean, memorably being killed in season one.

St Edward's warden Stephen Jones said the school was proud of them both and hoped Miss Clarke's character would survive in the coming months.

He said: "It’s great to hear that Game of Thrones will be back on our screens.

"Along with a number of our pupils, Emilia has enjoyed huge success on stage and screen since leaving St Edward’s in 2005 and we have enjoyed following her career."

Getting into the spirit of the show, he added: "The North Wall Arts Centre, celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, has helped to stoke the fires of theatrical ambition at St Edward’s in recent years, and we are justly proud of the achievements of Emilia Clarke and our current - and former Dragon - pupil, Bash Croft, who appeared alongside the Mother of Dragons on the hit show."

Her character has certainly been on a journey since the show began in 2011 and speculation has been rife as to whether she will be another victim, although as one of television's most iconic female leads there would likely be uproar from fans.

Oxford-born Sebastian Pugh, a former Cokethorpe School pupil and brother of actress Florence, played Trystane Martell in the show's fifth and sixth season before being brutally stabbed in the back of the head.

A similar fate was met by Gethin Anthony, who had a brief stay in the city at Balliol College and was president of the University's dramatic society.

His character Renly Baratheon looked set to challenge to be king of Westeros before meeting his grisly end at the hands of a shadow demon sent by his own brother.

However, while Ms Clarke remains as Oxford's last hope in Westeros the cast is large and with at least one more series after this, it is possibly someone else could step up.

Mr Jones added there was plenty more talent shine through with pupils from the North Oxford independent school heading north to Edinburgh Fringe Festival next month to perform their act named 'North of the Wall'.