Queen of Wands: meaning and symbolism of the tarot card

The card at a glance

The image on the card

In the Sol da Alma Tarot, the Queen of Wands sits on an ornate throne of grey stone, with lions’ heads carved on the arms and at the top of the backrest; around that top runs a garland of sunflowers. She has long, wavy blonde hair, a gold crown with tall points, earrings, and a full reddish-orange gown with wide sleeves, embroidered in gold and set with turquoise stones on the bodice. Her right hand rests on the lion’s head on the arm of the throne; with her left she holds both a tall, ornately tipped gold sceptre and a long-stemmed sunflower. Behind her, a huge pale disc — somewhere between sun and moon — fills the blue sky, surrounded by white clouds. Below, on the left, a black cat sits in the grass, among sunflowers and small yellow flowers.

In the 1909 Rider-Waite-Smith, almost all the elements are the same, and they were the starting point for the Sol da Alma painting: the queen on a throne with lions, the wand in one hand and the sunflower in the other, and the black cat at her feet. But there are differences. In Pamela Colman Smith’s deck, the queen is dressed in yellow, with a pale cloak, and wears a crown of leaves; behind the throne rises a hanging decorated with lions and sunflowers, and in the background pyramid-shaped mounds can be seen; the cat faces forwards, on the step, looking at the viewer; and the wand is wooden, with shoots. In the Sol da Alma, the wand has become a gold sceptre, the sunflowers have left the hanging to crown the throne itself and fill the ground, the desert has given way to a flowery meadow, and the great disc of light behind the queen heightens her radiance.

In the Marseille Tarot, the Reyne de Bâton is also seated, with a large staff, but with no cat, no sunflowers and no landscape: the figure fills the card, and the staff, smooth and massive, looks more like a club than a living branch.

The symbolism, detail by detail

Everything about the Queen of Wands speaks of a strength that does not need to impose itself to be felt. Each detail shows one side of that warmth.

The sunflowers

The flower that turns towards the sun: joy, vitality, faithfulness to one’s own light. In the Sol da Alma they are everywhere — on the throne, in her hand, on the ground — as if the queen made everything around her bloom.

The lions

The animal of Fire and courage, associated with the sign of Leo. The queen rests her hand calmly on the head of one of them: she masters strength without effort.

The black cat

The most debated creature on the card. It can speak of independence and intuition, or of a shadowy side that will not be tamed. It says this queen is not all light: she has mystery, instinct and rules of her own.

The gold sceptre

In the Rider-Waite-Smith it is a leafy wand; in the Sol da Alma it has become a golden sceptre. The will of the suit is no longer a branch still to grow: it is power fully owned.

The orange gown

The colour of Fire, warm and without aggression. It is the flame turned into presence.

The disc of light behind the throne

A huge halo, somewhere between sun and moon. The queen radiates: people around her feel her warmth before she speaks.

Her gaze

The queen looks into the distance, serenely and with a touch of pride. She knows her worth, and has no need to prove it.

The flowery meadow

Fertility, abundance, life that grows where she is. The Queen’s Fire does not scorch the earth — it makes it bloom.

The history of the Queen of Wands

The tarots born in northern Italy in the fifteenth century have four court figures in each suit: page, knight, queen and king. The queen did not exist in Spanish decks, which have only three court cards, and she is one of the distinctive marks of the tarot. In the Marseille decks, which took their settled form between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, this card is called the Reyne de Bâton, and shows a crowned woman, seated, with a large staff.

In 1909, Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith gave her the lions, the sunflower and the black cat. In the book that accompanied the deck, Waite noted that the wands of this suit are always in leaf, as it is a suit of life and animation, and said that the queen’s personality corresponds to that of the king, but with a more magnetic power. As meanings, he gave her a countrywoman, friendly, loving and honourable.

The astrological and elemental attributions of the court cards vary from school to school, and none can be taken as settled. The reading they all share is that of the Queen as the suit lived from within, with maturity. That is the Sol da Alma’s reading.

The Queen of Wands upright: the meaning

Upright, the Queen of Wands is the card of charisma and confidence. It speaks of a person — or an attitude — that shines naturally, that does things with relish and carries others along with its enthusiasm. It is not the impulsive fire of the Page nor the drive of the Knight: it is a mature fire, one that knows what it wants and goes about it with human warmth.

It is also the card of independence. The Queen of Wands has her own life, her own projects, her own opinions, and depends on nobody’s approval. She can care for others without fading into the background, lead without imposing herself, be generous without running dry. In a spread, it often says the person is in a good moment to assert themselves, to show what they are worth, to take their place.

Finally, it speaks of joie de vivre and creativity. The Queen of Wands is the hostess, the friend who brings people together, the woman who turns a house into a home and a project into a cause. Whatever she touches comes alive.

The Queen of Wands reversed

Reversed, the Queen of Wands does not lose her fire: that fire becomes excessive, or turns in on itself. The warmth that used to heat now consumes. It can speak of greed — wanting everything, wanting attention, wanting to be the centre — of jealousy, of a presence that takes up all the space in the room and leaves others no room to breathe. Generosity turns into control, and charisma into domination.

At other times, the flame burns low. The queen’s confidence gives way to insecurity: the person hides away, doubts themselves, loses the pleasure they took in what they did, or is worn out from giving so much. Behind the warm appearance there may be someone who feels unappreciated.

In both cases, the reversed card asks for the same thing: come back to the centre. The Queen’s fire is for warming, not for burning — neither others, nor herself.

The Queen of Wands in love

In love, the Queen of Wands is an irresistible presence: attractive, confident, warm, passionate. For those who are single, it says it is time to put yourself out there — confidence is attractive. It can also announce a person with these qualities. In a relationship, it speaks of lively passion, of loyalty, of a partner who gives a great deal and expects to be admired in return.

Her difficult side is jealousy and the need to be the centre. Reversed, it can describe a relationship in which one partner dominates, or in which jealousy and possessiveness take over. It can also speak of someone who has lost confidence in themselves and so becomes demanding of the other.

The Queen of Wands in work and money

In work, the Queen of Wands is one of the best cards for anyone who wants to lead, to start a business or to make a name for themselves. It speaks of initiative, of energy, of the ability to motivate teams and win over clients. It favours creative fields, communication, commerce, teaching and any work in which personality makes the difference. It may represent a charismatic colleague or boss, or say that the time has come to take on a more visible role.

In money, it speaks of initiative and of prosperity earned through one’s own efforts. It is a card of financial independence. Reversed, it warns against spending to impress, against the urge to control everything, and against the exhaustion of someone who takes on too many fronts at once.

The Queen of Wands in health and wellbeing

In questions about wellbeing, the Queen of Wands speaks of vitality, of good spirits, of energy to look after yourself. Reversed, it is a reminder that the one who looks after everyone also needs to rest. The cards are no substitute for any kind of health care: the reading offers attitudes and tendencies, never diagnoses.

The Queen of Wands in spiritual life

On the inner path, the Queen of Wands is faith lived with joy: a warm, creative spirituality, connected to the body and to everyday life. The black cat at her feet is a reminder that true light does not ignore the shadow — it knows it, and lets it stay close. It is the card of someone who discovers their own flame and shares it without fear.

The Queen of Wands as a person

When it represents someone, the Queen of Wands is traditionally a mature woman — or a person of any gender with these qualities — warm, confident, independent, sociable, full of energy. She is the heart of a family or a circle of friends, the person you turn to when you need cheering up. She has strong opinions, a zest for life and a reserved side she does not show to everyone.

The Queen of Wands as advice

As advice, the Queen of Wands says: trust yourself and let yourself be seen. Do things with relish, take your place, let your energy show. But it also says: warm without burning — there is room for your light without putting out anyone else’s.

The Queen of Wands in the positions of a spread

In the past

A period of confidence and self-assertion, or a warm person who played an important part in the situation.

In the present

The moment calls for confidence and initiative; the person has the energy and charisma to steer the matter.

In the future

A period of personal self-assertion, or a charismatic person about to come onto the scene.

As an obstacle

Jealousy, the need for control, the urge to be the centre; or a lack of self-confidence.

As the outcome

The matter is resolved through confidence and human warmth; a leading role taken on.

The Queen and the suit of Wands

The Queen is the one who receives and sustains: the suit lived from within, with maturity and without needing to show it. In Wands, the suit of Fire — will, drive, the work that gets under way — this makes for a rare figure: a strong will that is in no hurry. The Page discovers the fire and the Knight runs off with it; the Queen keeps it, feeds it and lets it warm those around her.

In the tarot, the court cards have no fixed astrological attribution: the schools differ, and it is best not to take any as settled. The safe reading is that of the hierarchy of the suit. Between the movement of the Knight and the rule of the King, the Queen is inwardness and care — power exercised through presence, not through command.

Combinations with other cards

• The Empress — Fertility, creativity and abundance; a warm woman at the heart of the family or of a project.
• Strength — Serene courage, self-mastery; a strength that wins through gentleness.
• The Sun — Complete joy, visible success, confidence at its height.
• King of Wands — A powerful, passionate couple; shared leadership.
• Six of Wands — Public recognition; a victory celebrated with others.
• Three of Wands — A project of your own that grows; initiative with a long-term vision.
• Queen of Cups — Warmth and sensitivity together; a person who is both passionate and understanding.
• Queen of Pentacles — An independent, practical woman; prosperity built through her own efforts.
• Queen of Swords — Firmness and clarity; someone who knows what they want and says what they think.
• The Devil — Jealousy, possessiveness, warmth turning into control.
• The Moon — Strong intuition, but also insecurities hidden behind the confidence.