Daily Debate: Why Wasn’t Zelda Crowned Queen During the Era of the Wild?
Posted on November 01 2024 by Nicole Scott
After the death of King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, the kingdom was left with a monarchy in flux. Technically, our commonly titled Princess Zelda should’ve been crowned Queen Zelda of Hyrule. So, why wasn’t she referenced as such in Tears of the Kingdom or even Breath of the Wild?
This isn’t the first time in the series this has been brought into question. In Twilight Princess, Zelda was the ruler and the sole deliverer of her kingdom’s future. It’s possible the series has set a precedent that she will always be called Princess despite typical monarchial hierarchies. Also, keeping her name as Princess Zelda simply aligns with Nintendo’s naming conventions. This same question could be posed about Princess Peach and her title, so perhaps it is merely a choice to keep the character names easily recognizable.
Alternatively, there are some lore-related guesses fans could pose. Traditionally, queens are only crowned via a coronation. Maybe this would have happened eventually, but the events of Tears of the Kingdom occurred before a ceremony. Another possible reason is, given the rubble Hyrule turned into after Breath of the Wild, Zelda likely had more important priorities, like supporting a school in Hateno Village and building nationwide morale. People already respected her for her sacrifices, so perhaps establishing new royalty felt unnecessary. Additionally, there could be a historical or cultural reason Zelda cannot ascend to queendom only experts in royal histories could answer.
Another inference could be Zelda actively didn’t want to take the official throne. Knowing her position in prophecies, she may not have felt right establishing herself in an official manner when she knows her future could change at any moment.
Speculation aside, do you think it’s time for Zelda to hit queen status? Let us know your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!
Nicole Scott is writer for Zelda Dungeon from suburban Appalachia. She loves drinking espresso, seeing live music, building LEGO sets, being a completionist, and snuggling her two probably-alien cats, Tizo and Alarielle.
