Royalty continues to fascinate the world, and their lives, no matter how disconnected from our own, remain of constant interest. The portrayal of such characters continues to engage and captivate audiences, as they glimpse behind the curtain and gain an insight into who they really are. Films present an unfiltered look at their private and highly secretive lives like never before.
But these rulers are by no means always great and are sometimes outright awful people with only their own interest in mind. But good or evil these queens are memorable, and some are even iconic. With this in mind here are the 10 most iconic portrayals of queens in films.
Frigga
Frigga served as queen of Asgard in the first two Thor movies before her untimely death at the hands of the Dark Elves in Thor: The Dark World. She was loved by her two sons, Thor and Loki, and had a close relationship with both of them.
This made her death one of the most emotional scenes in the trilogy. She served as a counterpoint to her husband the king of Asgard, Odin, who was more temperamental. Her death led him to swear revenge on the Dark Elves no matter the cost.
The White Witch
Without a doubt, The White Witch is one of the most wicked queens to ever rule. Her tyrannical rule over Narnia left it as a barren frozen wasteland, with no end to the eternal winter in sight.
On top of all that, her forces patrolled the land, imprisoning and freezing anyone who would stand against her. Despite presenting herself as a kind and loving ruler her intentions quickly become clear, resulting in the death of Aslan the lion.
Galadriel
The Elven queen Galadriel appeared through the Lord of the Rings trilogy and was portrayed by Cate Blanchett. Galadriel remains one of the purest and greatest rulers in all the land.
Despite her nobility and wisdom, she was still unable to carry the burden of the one ring. As evidenced in one of the most chilling scenes of the trilogy, we witness her dark side. Her immense age and power make her one of the wisest rulers in Middle-earth.
Cleopatra
1963's Cleopatra remains one of the largest film productions ever undertaken and cost a reported $31 million, which was unprecedented at the time. The historical epic clocks in at over three hours long and charts the queen's rule over Egypt.
Starring Elizabeth Taylor as the titular queen, Cleopatra remains one of the most recognizable queens in history due in large part to her elaborate and iconic wardrobe. The Egyptian style is like nothing else and elevates this queen, beyond the normal.
The Evil Queen
Appearing in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Evil Queen remains one of the most wicked rulers ever to appear in a Disney film. Simply known as The Evil Queen, this ruler is wicked to her core and famously tries to kill Snow White so she will remain as the fairest one of all.
Despite being a queen she abandons her royal duties in favor of concocting poisons in her laboratory. Perhaps she would be more suited to work in the pharmaceutical industry than the throne.
The White Queen
Portrayed by Anne Hathaway in 2010's Alice in Wonderland, The White Queen stands in stark contrast to the ruler of Wonderland, the Queen of Hearts. Unlike the ruling monarch, The White Queen is pure of heart and far more suited to the crown.
Despite her calm and polite exterior, The White Queen is still capable of unleashing her darker side. This is evidenced when the throne is taken back from her sister, who she shows little remorse towards.
Queen Anne
Queen Anne remained one of the most interesting and unexplored members of British royalty. 2018's critically acclaimed The Favourite delved deep into the life and mind of this historic woman, with a depth not often seen.
Queen Anne was portrayed by Olivia Colman, who went on to win an Oscar for her performance. The role pushed her successful career to greater heights than ever before. Making The Favorite one the more unique and interesting films about royalty ever made.
Queen Elizabeth I
Portrayed by Margot Robbie in 2018's Mary Queen of Scots, the Australian actress is transformed into the iconic queen and becomes unrecognizable in the role.
This is by no means the first time the famous queen had been portrayed in a film, but it remains one of the best representations of the ruler and charts her rule over many years. Slowly her physical appearance becomes worse and worse due to the toxic chemicals used in her make-up, resulting in Queen Elizabeth losing her beauty before her time.
Queen Amidala
As the queen of Naboo, Queen Amidala ruled over the planet the best she could throughout Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. The character has one of the most striking physical appearances in any of the Star Wars movies.
Her elaborate dresses and hairstyle proved to be some of the most memorable in the franchise. Beyond her style, Queen Amidala displayed her political skills throughout the series and favored democracy above all else.
Queen Elizabeth II
Helen Mirren had the difficult task of portraying the currently ruling queen, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2006's The Queen. The film centers on the royal family after the death of Princess Diana in 1997, and their struggle to deal with the publics changing perceptions of them.
The film went to become critically acclaimed, and Helen Mirren won an Oscar for her role in the film which remains one of the highlights of her esteemed career.