- "My queen has left this world. Her death was so sudden and unexpected, I awaken most nights unsure if she is really gone. Zelda never cried, never faltered. Not even during the royal funeral or later when she and I were alone with our grief. I must assume her strength is a result of us repeatedly informing her of her duty to be a valiant and steady princess. For a child of merely six years of age, her conduct was truly that of a born leader. Her strength gives me hope. From now on, I must raise her all alone... Now, only I remain to prepare her for her difficult future as princess of Hyrule."
- — King Rhoam's Journal
Zelda's Mother is a character mentioned in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. She the mother Princess Zelda and wife of King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule. She is also the first known Queen of Hyrule.
Biography[]
- "I've been training since I was a child, and yet... Mother passed the year before my training was to begin. In losing her, I lost not just a mother, but a teacher. Mother used to smile and tell me, "Zelda, my love, all will be well in the end. You can do anything.""
- — Zelda's Diary
Very little is known about the Queen of Hyrule other than mention of her by her daughter and husband in their diaries found in Hyrule Castle. Like Tetra's Mother from The Wind Waker her name is never revealed and she is deceased by the time of game's events.
What is known is that she lived at least six years after the birth of her daughter as Zelda was six years old when her mother passed and that her death was sudden and unexpected, suggesting it was either by a sudden illness or accidental, as there is no indication her death was the result of foul play. It is also hinted that she cared deeply for Zelda, seeing her as someone with unlimited potential. It is suggested that Zelda inherited her latent sealing powers from her grandmother and notes that her mother once told her that the same power would eventually awaken in Zelda, but her untimely death prevented her from assisting in Zelda's training.
Friendship with Urbosa[]
- "My dear friend from afar came to visit Gerudo Town today. It is always a pleasure to see the queen of Hyrule. She described her reason for coming as urgent. She wished for me to meet her newborn child. Her sweet daughter's name is Zelda. She has her mother's smile. I cannot help but cherish her already. I told her that Zelda is sure to grow up into a dignified and beautiful queen, just like her mother. My friend thanked me, but said that looks are fleeting, and instead she wishes for Zelda to be blessed with true happiness. The way she gazes upon her daughter... her little bird, as she calls her... I have never seen such unconditional love."
- — Urbosa's Diary
During her lifetime, the Queen befriended Gerudo Chieftain Urbosa presumably through diplomatic visits to Gerudo Town as only female members of the Royal Family of Hyrule would be permitted entry due to Gerudo law. Urbosa considered the Queen a dear friend and was happy to hear of the birth of the Queen's daughter. Shortly after Zelda's birth, the Queen visited Gerudo Town with Zelda to introduce her to Urbosa.
She wished Zelda would be beautiful like her mother, through the Queen noted she preferred Zelda grow up healthy and happy. Urbosa later notes in her diary that she had never seen such unconditional love before. She also noted the Queen affectionately called Zelda "her little bird".
Legacy[]
Her death had a profound effect on both her husband and daugther. While Zelda was saddened by her mother's death, she did not cry or falter during her mother's funeral or when grieving with her father in private. Rhoam assumed Zelda's strength was the result of him and his wife repeatedly informing her of her duty to be a valiant and steady princess.
However, despite not showing it outwardly, Zelda was deeply affected by her mother's death. This grief only worsened when she struggled to awaken her powers, being mocked by her peers. Zelda even came to doubt her mother's assertion that her daughter could do anything, feeling hopeless and distraught.
Due to the imminent threat of Calamity Ganon's return, King Rhoam ordered his daughter to train relentlessly and fulfill her duty, scolding Zelda when she put off training to study ancient technology. This only caused Zelda to feel even more stress, further worsening the situation. By the time King Rhoam realized that his mistakes and planned to encourage Zelda more kindly, the Great Calamity occurred. With King Rhoam dead, Hyrule was in a state of chaos.
Since it can be inferred that Zelda struggled to awaken her powers (at least partially) because of the loss of her mother, the Queen of Hyrule`s death may have contributed to the fall of Hyrule due to its effect on both Zelda and King Rhoam.
Urbosa also mourned her friend's passing and befriended the young Zelda whom she watched over as a surrogate mother figure even picking up her late friend's habit of referring to Zelda as "my little bird". Like Link, Urbosa was one of the few people to witness Zelda's frustration over her inability to awaken her sealing powers and consoled her when Zelda broke down during her training. She also advised Zelda not to despair after her failure at the Spring of Wisdom. Urbosa also defended Zelda from the Yiga Clan, though spared the assassins' lives out of respect for Zelda.
Theory[]
Theory warning: This section contains theoretical information based on the research of one or several other users. It has not been officially verified by Nintendo and its factual accuracy is disputed.
Former Princess of Hyrule[]
Since it is hinted that Zelda`s mother also possessed "the blood of the Goddess", it is possible that she was the former heir of the Royal Family of Hyrule. This would mean that she was also the former princess of Hyrule. However, it is also suggested in Breath of the Wild that King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule was actually the heir to the Royal Family of Hyrule.
If Zelda`s mother was the heir to the Royal Family of Hyrule, it is possible that her name was also Zelda, like her daughter. This would make sense considering that by the time of Breath of the WIld, it has apparently become tradition for the Royal Family of Hyrule to name a princess of their kin as "Zelda".
However Zelda's comments during Recovered Memory #13: "Slumbering Power" refute this, suggesting Zelda inherited her powers through her grandmother as she notes her mother said that the same power her grandmother had would awaken in Zelda. This indicates the possibility that Zelda's unnamed grandmother was a previous incarnation of Zelda much like how Tetra was the grandmother of the Princess Zelda in the Japanese version of Spirit Tracks. This would indicate that Zelda's mother married into the Royal Family of Hyrule, through was apparently knowledgeable enough about the divine sealing powers of the Princesses of Hyrule to train and advise her daughter as she was going to train Zelda before her untimely death.
Theory warning: Theories end here.