Which Hogwarts headmaster does J.K. Rowling reveal was gay?

J.K. Rowling revealed that Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore was gay.

Rowling made the statement publicly in 2007, after the publication of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. She explained that Dumbledore had fallen in love with Gellert Grindelwald, his brilliant friend and later ideological enemy. Their relationship belongs to Dumbledore’s youth, long before he became headmaster of Hogwarts.

The original seven novels do not state Dumbledore’s sexuality directly. That is why the revelation is often discussed as authorial clarification rather than as a plainly described plot event in the books. The character’s history with Grindelwald is presented most fully through later wizarding-world material, including the Fantastic Beasts films.

Dumbledore’s relationship with Grindelwald is also tied to the two wizards’ pursuit of the Deathly Hallows and their belief in wizard domination. Their friendship ended after a three-way duel involving Dumbledore’s brother Aberforth and the death of Ariana Dumbledore. These events help explain why Dumbledore carries lasting guilt and opposes Grindelwald’s ideology.