Learn all about the queen archetype, including definition, characteristics, examples and how it relates to the Ruler archetype.
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What is the Queen Archetype?
The Queen archetype is representative of the ultimate in female leadership, sovereignty, loyalty and devotion to the husband.
The archetypal Queen exhibits a regal demeanor and natural confidence. Her main motivation is the desire to marry and, once she has done so, she will remain fiercely loyal to her husband come what may.
Indeed, whilst unmarried she may feel somewhat incomplete. Attracted to powerful men who are confident and assertive, such as those who fit the Kingly archetype, the Queen will support her spouse in his lifestyle and goals.
She is likely to stand by her man despite humiliations such as extramarital affairs.
Queen Archetype Characteristics & Traits
- The Queen archetype is also a very capable leader, whether in the home environment or at work.
- In her friendship group she is likely to be the leader of the group, organising social gatherings and determining the pattern of social discourse.
- As a leader she is benevolent, compassionate and inclusive, keen to be receptive to the needs of her subjects.
- She rules with kindness but also with a firmness and strength, not tolerating those who act against her and seeking retribution against those who invoker her wrath.
- Her people understand her strengths and respond to them with loyalty and respect.
Queen Archetype Examples
In classical mythology the archetypal Queen could be found in the form of the Goddess Hera, wife of the God Zeus. Hera ruled over Mount Olympus as Queen of the gods. She was a motherly, matronly figure who served as the patroness and protectress of married women.
However, she is perhaps most remembered for her fierce loyalty to her husband Zeus, despite his numerous infidelities. One of her defining characteristics is her jealousy and she exhibits an extremely vengeful nature against Zeus’ lovers and illegitimate children.
Examples of the Queen archetype in film and TV include Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix series The Crown and in the 2006 film The Queen. Queen Elizabeth indeed fits this archetype both in the show itself and in real life, having exhibited many of these archetypal qualities across her 60+ years as monarch and become beloved by subjects around the world.
Other examples of the Queen archetype in modern culture include the Duchess of Cambridge, Diana Princess of Wales, Margaret Thatcher, Jacinda Arden, Angela Merkel, Oprah Winfrey, Beyonce, Benazir Bhutto, Indira Gandhi and Hillary Clinton.
Further Reading
Further reading on the queen archetype includes:
- The Queen: The Archetype of Leadership – Brian Dale
- The Audacity To Be Queen: The Unapologetic Art of Dreaming Big and Manifesting Your Most Fabulous Life – Gina DeVee
- Queen of the World: Elizabeth II: Sovereign and Stateswoman – Robert Hardman
