Queen Elizabeth is a character that is based on the actual Queen Elizabeth Woodeville in SHakespeare's fmaous historical, Richard III. Queen Elizabeth is a woman who portrays remarkable intelligence, strengh, and, as said by many characters, beauty. She has had 12 children and is nearing her 60's, yet she is still supposedly very pretty. Throughout the play, she is commonly called Queen Elizabeth, or in some versions, even just Elizabeth.
Elizabeth has a very large family. She was first married to a knight named John Grey, and bore him two children before his death. Later, she married King Edwrard IV, and had ten children with him, 3 boys and 7 girls. At the play's start, Grey and Dorset, her two elder sons from her first marriage, are already adults, and her two younger sons, the heirs to the throne, are 12 and 10. The reason Prince Edward, her third son, is the heir and not Grey, her first son, is becasue Grey and Dorset aren't Edward's children, only Elizabeth's and John Grey's. Elizabeth also has two brothers-in-law, Clarence and Richard III, and two sisters-in-law, Clarence's wife and Lady Anne Neville. Clarence's wife never appears, and is only mentioned once when Clarence begs two murderers to spare her and their children, yet Elizabeth seems to have a good relationship with Anne. She doesn't get along with Richard though. Her relationship with Clarence isn't clear--Richard says she hates him while she says she loves him. However, considering Richard's deceitful attitude, it is probable that she is right and that she truly loves her brother-in-law Clarence. Elizabeth also has a two nephews and a niece. She has one nephew on Richard and Anne's side, and a nephew and niece on Clarence's side.
Queen Elizabeth is very intelligent and seems to enjoy her power. She is rather cruel to Margaret and ignores her curses. Despite hating Richard, Elizabeth joins him when he turns against Margaret. Elizabeth does not die in the play, although a lot of people misinterperet a scene where Richard jokes saying he beheaded her. In reality, she survives until much longer, she is even seen in a scene after Richard's beheading joke. Elizabeth is also seen as fickle, kind of like Anne, at first she stands by her choice, but after Richard persuades her, she gives up her daughter to him, however many others see this as some form of trap, while others genuinely find her fickle.