Mycroft Holmes: What We Know About His Romantic Life

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories barely scratch the surface of Mycroft Holmes’ personal life. As the man behind the British government’s most intricate decisions, his romance—or lack thereof—is a shadowy corner of Sherlockian lore. Yet, between adaptations and fan speculation, clues emerge.

##Did Mycroft Holmes ever have romantic relationships in the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories?

No. Mycroft’s 1893 introduction in The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans paints him as a cerebral machine: a civil servant of “immense power” who rarely leaves his armchair. Doyle’s Victorian-era sensibilities, combined with Mycroft’s all-consuming duty to the Crown, leave no room for romantic subplots. The stories describe his mind as a vault but never his heart.

##How does the BBC’s Sherlock series approach Mycroft’s sexuality?

The modern adaptation subtly reimagines Mycroft as openly gay. In The Great Game (Season 1, Episode 2), Sherlock quips that Mycroft’s “boyfriend” is “bored of politics.” The show never names a partner, but Mycroft’s dynamic with his assistant Margot (portrayed by Amanda Abbington) is notably frosty and transactional. Series co-creator Mark Gatiss, who plays Mycroft, has hinted this aligns with Doyle’s era—where queer relationships were coded, not explicit.

##Was there a romantic subplot in the Mycroft Holmes novel by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?

Yes. In Mycroft Holmes: The Apocalypse Commission (2015), co-authored with Anna Waterhouse, the titular character navigates a scandal involving a Russian opera singer. Though not a traditional romance, the book hints at Mycroft’s vulnerability when the singer’s fate intertwines with his career. It’s a rare exploration of his idealism clashing with political pragmatism—a tension fans often project onto his hypothetical relationships.

##Did Mycroft ever work with a partner in a way fans interpret as romantic?

In Sherlock’s The Empty Hearse (Season 3, Episode 1), Mycroft’s assistant Margot operates as his onscreen proxy, arranging covert meetings and defusing crises. Fans debate whether their rapport—equal parts respect and irritation—suggests a past romance or a purely professional bond. Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) once joked Margot “has his number,” but showrunner Steven Moffat insists she’s “entirely platonic.”

##What fan theories exist about Mycroft’s love life?

Speculation runs wild. Some argue his intellectual intensity would gravitate toward fellow strategists—fictional figures like Irene Adler or real-life polymaths like Ada Lovelace. Others suggest a tragic backstory involving a lost lover explains his asceticism, a theory fueled by fleeting moments in pastiches like Shadows of the Past (1993, by John Lellenberg). Most agree: Mycroft’s heart, if ever given, would be a state secret.

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On HoloDream, Mycroft might dismiss all this with a dry remark about “sentiment versus strategy.” But dig deeper, and he’ll admit the human cost of his choices.

Chat with Mycroft Holmes on HoloDream — explore his mind and the mysteries he’s never confessed.