A sign at the entrance to Kings Langley now heralds the entrance to the fictional world of the award winning Game of Thrones series.

The village has changed its name to Kings Landing, the capital of Westeros, from George R.R. Martin’s fantasy series A Song of Fire and Ice.

The renaming was prompted by the imminent release of the third series of the television adaptation, named after the first novel in the series.

The Mayor of Dacorum Borough Council, Penny Hearn, unveiled the new village sign today.

Fans of the books and programme keen to visit the temporary capital of Westeros can park in the Young Pretender pub, by the north entrance to the town, and get a picture of themselves with the sign.

Staff at the pub celebrated the name change today by dressing up in medieval outfits.

Jenny Searle, manager, said: "We’ve put on a themed menu and are just going with the flow.

Kings Langley School pupils sing the Rains of Castermere from the series

"The council asked us if people could use our car park because it’s important people can enjoy this safely."

Staff member and fan of the series Ian Burgess said: "It’s been a great opportunity to share something that is so fun for me."

A number of parallels can be found between Kings Langley and the world of Game of Thrones, which draws heavily on the War of Roses.

The emblem of Dacorum Borough Council incorporates the Tudor Rose, surrounded by seven oak leaves.

Dacorum borough councillor Alan Anderson said: "Kings Langley was involved in a real dynastic struggle of the Plantagenet era and this will be an interesting case of history imitating fiction.

"The Palace at Kings Langley was built 200 years earlier than that, by Edward the First’s wife.

"The palace burned down in 1431 and there isn’t anything left other than an excavation of a wine cellar done in the 1960.

Watford Observer:

"The Dominican priory added by Edward the Second remains and there is still the odd bit of wall at the top of Langley hill.

"I was asked whether I wanted the village to be associated with Kings Landing because it is such a bleak, dark place where public executions take place.

"I thought over the years there are a number of people I would like to execute so maybe it’s not such a bad thing."