House of Guinness: Was Arthur gay in real life? Here’s what we know

House of Guinness has turned out to be one of Netflix's most talked-about 'based on reality' shows, not just for its storytelling rooted in realism but also for its exploration of the Guinness family and its siblings.

One such person, Arthur Guinness's (Anthony Boyle) private life is worth exploring further as fans have been asking the same burning question: Was Arthur really gay in real life? The answer to this is that the truth is layered.

Historians have suggested that Arthur, who was also known as Lord Ardilaun, probably was queer. His marriage to Lady Olivia Charlotte Hedges-White (Danielle Galligan) was reportedly arranged as a marriage without intimacy, and the couple never had children.

While the Netflix series heavily dramatizes his relationships, it takes pieces from the history that Arthur lived with desires which, if he were to be queer, he could not publicly express.

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Queer identity in the shadow of Victorian morality

What makes House of Guinness so powerful is how it places Arthur's story in an era where being queer was not simply frowned upon but also criminalized. In the 18th to 19th century Ireland and Britain, laws carried brutal punishments.

The death penalty had only recently been annihilated, but men could still face life in prison for 'acts of homosexuality'. At the time, if Arthur was indeed gay, he would have had to live life carefully, balancing his brewing empire and duty to family with the risk of ruin.

The show leans into this very tension, showing Arthur struggling with secrecy, coded relationships, and the suffocating weight of societal expectations. His marriage to Lady Olivia appears less about romance and more about protecting the Guinness reputation, something historians have described as a "marriage blanche." Such arrangements, where intimacy was intentionally avoided, were quietly understood ways for men of his position to shield their true selves.

In House of Guinness, Arthur's queerness is not just a side note or a side quest. It becomes central to who he is. Volatile, defensive, and constantly pulled between public duty and private truth. For the audience, this offers a glimpse into how suffocating it must have been to live under so many restrictions.

If history softly whispers that Arthur was gay, the show amplifies it, helping us imagine his plight.

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House of Guinness: The untold queer culture Arthur may have known

While House of Guinness overtly dramatizes Arthur's romances, historians stop short of giving clear evidence of his personal affairs. Still, there are hints. Lord Ardilaun's marriage reportedly carried an understanding that sex would never be part of it, strongly suggesting his desires lay elsewhere.

Some accounts even link other members of the Guinness family to same-sex relationships, revealing that Arthur was not entirely alone in this hidden struggle.

But to be queer in Arthur's time meant more than secrecy; it meant navigating an underground world. Dublin and London both had private spaces where men found ways to connect away from judging eyes.

House of Guinness touches on this by knotting Arthur's love affairs into the story, showing how passion could exist in the dullness of the night, but always under constant threat. Even family members in the show are aware of his secret, though they choose silence because exposure of such lifestyle would not only shame Arthur but risk the Guinness empire itself.

This is where House of Guinness truly does excel: It doesn't just portray Arthur as a historical figure but as a symbol of queer resilience in a world against him. If Arthur really did live as a closeted gay man, then his story resonates with the countless untold stories of queer people whose lives were shaped by silence, fear, and the desperate need to protect their families' names.

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House of Guinness dares to explore a side of Arthur Guinness that history has only somewhat hinted at. Was he truly gay? Historians lean toward yes, though the proof of his queerness is indeed insufficient.

What is undeniable is that, if he was, he lived in a world where coming out was unthinkable and well, also outrageous. The show bags that inner conflict beautifully, reminding viewers that queer history has always been present, even if hidden.

Whether fact or creative liberty and/or interpretation, Arthur's story gives voice to the silence that so many of his time were forced to live in.

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Also read: House of Guinness family tree: A complete guide to the Guinness brewery dynasty