If you could be any queen from history, which would you choose?
It was a question posed to me and my peers at a recent mastermind retreat.
At first, we giggled at the question. You see, earlier in the morning, each of us had pulled King cards from our individual Light seer’s tarot deck and were feeling the masculine energy of achievement coursing through our veins.
Nevertheless, we sat with the question.
Only one queen came to mind – Mary, Queen of Scots.
I justified away the image in my mind instantly. Surely, it was the only queen that I could think of because it just happens to be one of my favorite movies to watch while traveling on planes. I’ve watched the 2018 film starring Saoirse Ronan as Queen Mary and Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I four or five times over the years, enthralled with the plot, the landscape, and the politics of the monarchy.
Intelligent and passionate … Saoirse Ronan as Mary Stuart in Mary Queen of Scots. Photograph: Allstar/Focus Features
In short, I dismissed my intuitive response, blaming a form of “movie watching recency bias”.
Hours after this prompt, I found myself on an Alaska Airlines flight en route to Salt Lake City and decided to see if there was something more there – something more behind my instant affinity for Mary than just the fact she was one of the only queens I could recall from history.
I played, once again, the movie, Mary, Queen of Scots.
This time, however, I was more than entertained – I was downright enthralled.
Enthralled, really, at the obvious fact that my attraction to Mary went much, much deeper. I took out my pen and notebook and scrawled furiously as I watched her return from France, a widow – and a Catholic – to reign over Scotland and vie for a place as the legitimate English queen.
“There are times for wisdom. And there are also times for love, but there are also times for strength.”
A few of the traits that most stuck out to me – and made it no surprise why I love this queen:
- Presence: In one of the best scenes, a would be suitor for Mary arrives at the court. Mary is seated among ten other women in her inner circle. The suitor – her half-cousin and soon-to-be spouse – looks among the women to discern which is the queen (having not seen her – or her image before). Her calm, confident demeanor stands in sharp contrast to the giggly, flustered women around her. Her presence betrays her status as the queen, and he kisses her hand knowing full well it must be her.
- Tolerance: Although she is Catholic, Mary makes it known that she is tolerant of Protestants. She kept Protestants, including her brother who would later rebel against her, in her close circle of advisors. In the movie version she is also tolerant of a gay man in her court, who she forgives for sleeping with her husband, noting that “you have not betrayed your nature.” I’m not sure I’d be as forgiving!
- Cosmopolitan: Having been raised in France, she is worldly, articulate, multi-lingual, and Catholic, returning to her homeland that is largely provincial and Protestant. She has an ability to connect with the peasants who have joined the uprising and to woo members in the court through her unique vantage point and life experiences.
- High Standards: “Should I, a queen, marry a subject?” – Mary is offered one of Queen Elizebeth’s consorts as a husband to tighten the bond between the two families (and eliminate Mary’s claim to the throne). I love this line from her, because it shocks the men who have come to make what they believe is a very generous proposal!
- Framing: Mary’s wisdom comes from seeing issues differently than others. As her inner circle tries to help her wade through marriage proposals – lauding the individual merits of each suitor – Mary reframes the entire process to focus on what it is really about after all – succession.
- Faith: She is a God-loving, faithful servant. She is steadfast in her faith even as those around her betray her trust.
- Humble: “I am but its servant.” – Mary, in response to a fellow member of court commenting on the fact that she rules all that she can see as they ride through the countryside. Mary understands that a true queen is aware of her position of privilege and recognizes that she must make decisions that will serve the best interest of all people in her kingdom.
- Strategic: Throughout the movie, she is one step ahead of Elizabeth I and her advisors. She has a long-term vision for her life and for Scotland, and she uses her heart and love of country to influence the strategic decisions she makes – about her next husband, her court, and her focus on ascending to the British throne.
As I watched the movie, I felt deeply connected to Mary, Queen of Scots– her love, compassion, strength, wisdom, confidence, and presence. I loved how she spent time away from her homeland and returned with a deep desire to create a strong kingdom. It parallels my nearly two decades away from South Florida and my recent return home as this tropical paradise becomes a hot spot for independent thinkers, life enthusiasts, and entrepreneurs.
I also felt a connection to the notion that Mary was a fearless outsider up against a fearful Queen Elizabeth I, who ruled in paranoia that her reign would come to an end as she did not produce an heir. In the movie’s portrayal at least, Mary, held fast to her deep convictions while Elizabeth focused entirely on politics.
BEING QUEEN OF YOUR KINGDOM
It certainly wasn’t easy being a queen throughout history – war, plague, rape, murder, arranged marriages, death during childbirth – the list of challenges these women faced is endless!
The beautiful thing about where we are at this very moment in history is that each of us can embody the presence of a queen – can be fully sovereign by taking radical responsibility for all that we believe, think, feel, and do.
We ARE QUEENS. We are creators, leaders, rulers – of our very own kingdoms.
So ask yourself –
- Which queen throughout history do YOU resonate the most with and why? Clearly, don’t overthink it. There is wisdom in your initial choice!
- What would it feel like to REALLY be QUEEN of YOUR KINGDOM? How would you talk? What would you wear? What would you focus on?
- What do you want to see in your kingdom? How do people in your kingdom feel? What do interactions look like? Is there beauty, truth, art, and love? Something else you desire?
Four Queens and a King at Melanie Spring’s Confidancia Collective Retreat