MBTI Type: ESFJ
The former queen is all about doing what is appropriate, according to the situation, rather than advocating for following one’s own heart. On several occasions, she pushes her children to ignore what they want for themselves and do what is seen as right from a political point of view. She doesn’t want her daughter Margaret marrying a commoner who is connected to the royal family in a work capacity, so she looks for ways to dissuade her, by encouraging Elizabeth and others to force them into a two-year engagement, in the hopes that time will drive them apart. It seems ‘cold’ to her Fi-using daughter (why should Margaret not have the man she wants?), but Elizabeth sees it from a Fe perspective, in that how you behave in the world has an effect on your family. She also sees it in terms of their position as monarchs. Elizabeth is easily wounded by unkind words or accusations, and can become emotional at times. But she’s quite nice and makes friends with the owner of a castle easily by being pleasant and receptive. She enjoys him not knowing who she is, so she can be herself and no longer carry the burden of the crown. She carries some classism over into her reluctance to open up the palace to commoners, and her remarks about rubbing shoulders with car salesmen. She realizes they must change, but wishes they could cling to some of the majesty and elusive quality attached to the monarchy. She is also quite sensory, with a strong affection for Scotland due to growing up there. Her own experiences inform many of her views and decisions, and she clings to the traditions she grew up with. She argues with Elizabeth about her formal education, insisting they did what was best for her, even though the Queen says that she received ‘no education’! It was ‘how things were done’ in her time. Though receptive to change and often able to see the big picture, the dowager queen does not spend a lot of time in intellectual pursuits. She focuses on her family’s legacy and her role in it instead. Nor does she question things enough or second-guess her own judgment, although she often seeks assistance from Tommy when making a decision that affects everyone in her life.
Enneagram: 1w2
Dowager Queen Elizabeth has very firm moral views on how others should behave and what is appropriate, which is one reason she never forgives David for the abdication. Twenty years later, she is still angry about him forcing her family into a situation none of them wanted, and unwilling to overlook his ‘cruel nicknames’ for all of them (her own is “Cookie” because she is “homely and plump”). She urges her children to put aside their personal feelings and do what is right, for the sake of their duty, but also has a strong need to be needed. She confesses that it’s very cruel of them to take away her power and influence, right after the death of her husband. That she went from being someone who was important and necessary to having a ‘worthless’ position, and nothing to do with her time while she tries to grieve. She needs a task, to be useful in some way, and so often tries to consult her daughter on what to do in difficult situations, out of a sense that she has wisdom to share. Her unwillingness to forgive and occasional pettiness also shows her line to 4, in which her feelings are most important and she cannot easily overcome insults or slights against her or her loved ones.
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