Margaery Tyrell

Margaery Tyrell, legally Margaery Baratheon, is a major character in the second, third and fourth seasons. She is played by Natalie Dormer and debuts in "What is Dead May Never Die." Queen Margaery Tyrell is the widow of King Renly Baratheon, a claimant to the Iron Throne in the War of the Five Kings. Her father Lord Mace Tyrell is the ruler of the Reach. She is betrothed to King Joffrey Baratheon after the Battle of Blackwater, and briefly becomes his queen, but this is cut short when Joffrey is fatally poisoned at their wedding feast. Margaery is known for her beauty, political cunning, and ambition, although she has a compassionate side.

Background
Margaery is the only daughter of Lady Alerie Tyrell and Lord Mace Tyrell, the Lord Paramount of the Reach. The Reach is one of the constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms and House Tyrell is one of the Great Houses of the realm. Margaery was raised in privilege in the family seat and regional capital of Highgarden. She is close to her brother, Ser Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers. She is said to be as beautiful as she is clever.

Season 2
Margaery marries King Renly Baratheon, the lover of her brother Loras, though she's aware of their relationship. Two weeks afterward they have not yet consummated their marriage. Renly camps his army in the Stormlands, near his seat of Storm's End, and holds a tournament for his followers. Margaery is disappointed when Loras is defeated in the final bout by Brienne of Tarth. Catelyn Stark arrives to treat with Renly on behalf of her son Robb Stark and Margaery greets her warmly. Margaery encourages Renly to produce an heir with her but he is unable to become aroused by her. She is pragmatic about his desires and shocks him by offering to bring Loras into their bed.

King Joffrey Baratheon's Master of Coin Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish also visits the camp to treat with Renly. He makes a point of provoking Margaery about her husband's sexuality and she affirms her loyalty to Renly. Renly treats with his brother King Stannis Baratheon but is unable to reach a compromise. Renly is killed in mysterious circumstances and his Kingsguard Brienne of Tarth is blamed for his death. Margaery convinces Loras to flee the camp with her before Stannis arrives. Littlefinger accompanies them to Highgarden having gauged Margaery's ambition to become Queen.

Petyr sways House Tyrell into siding with House Lannister. As a result, House Lannister is victorious at the Battle of the Blackwater.

In a ceremony to celebrate victory, King Joffrey tells Loras he may ask anything of him in return for his aid. He asks Joffrey wed Margaery to cement the new alliance between their Houses through matrimony. Margaery states she has heard of Joffrey's courage and come to love from afar. Joffrey states that he has heard of Margaery's beauty and reciprocates her feelings but balks at setting aside his betrothal to Sansa Stark but is convinced by his courtiers that Sansa's family's status as attainted traitors is reason enough.

Season 3
Lady Margaery Tyrell accompanied her betrothed King Joffrey back from the Great Sept of Baelor in a heavily guarded palanquin. Against official protocol, she stopped the procession in Flea Bottom unexpectedly. To the shock of her guards and the bewilderment of Joffrey, Margaery stepped out of her carriage and began exploring the streets. She eventually arrived at an orphanage and began interacting with the children. Meanwhile, her servants distributed bread and toys, earning her the love of Flea Bottom's smallfolk. That evening, Margaery and her brother Loras Tyrell were visited by Joffrey and his mother Cersei. Cersei was unhappy with Margaery's earlier actions and admonished her boldness; reminding her that her impromptu charity work took place on the same streets where the royal party was assaulted weeks earlier. During this argument, Joffrey defended Margaery and criticized his mother. As a result, Cersei realized that she was on the verge of being outmaneuvered by the Tyrells. While Cersei only knew how to rule through fear, Margaery was adept at winning the hearts and minds of her people, a skill which Cersei lacked.

Later, Margaery and her grandmother, Lady Olenna Tyrell, invited Sansa for a private meeting with them at the gardens of King’s Landing. Loras escorted Sansa to the gardens for the meeting. During the meeting, Lady Olenna dismissed her father Mace as a fool for supporting Renly Baratheon's claim to the throne. By contrast, Margaery spoke well of her late husband Renly. During the meeting, Olenna insisted that Sansa tell them the truth about what Joffrey was like since Margaery was to marry him. While Sansa was initially reluctant to share her feelings, she admitted that Joffrey was a "monster" since he had reneged on his earlier promise to spare her father’s life. While Olenna was disappointed at these revelations, she was not surprised given the rumours that have been circulating about Joffrey's public outbursts. While Sansa was worried that this would mean that the Tyrells would cancel their proposed marriage alliance (meaning Sansa will be stuck with Joffrey again), Olenna assured her that her son Mace was too intent on Margaery entering into a royal marriage to cancel it for anything.

Later, Joffrey gave Margaery a tour of the Great Sept of Baelor, where their royal wedding was scheduled to be held. They were followed by Cersei Lannister and Olenna Tyrell, representing the Lannisters and Tyrells respectively. During their tour, Joffrey talked about the various Targaryen kings who were buried within the Great Sept. Margaery feigned interest in Joffrey's topic but his mother Cersei was annoyed. While Cersei and Olenna were engrossed in a conversation about the men in their lifes, Margaery managed to convince Joffrey to greet the crowd outside. Having been somewhat placated by Margaery's charity, the crowd happily cheered for the pair. As a result of this incident, Cersei felt that she had lost control of Joffrey to the Tyrells. She came to fear that the Tyrells did not have her family’s interest at heart. In response, the Queen Regent ordered Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish to spy on the Tyrells.

Later, Ser Loras invited Margaery and Sansa to watch him sparring him with squire at the castle gardens. During that time, Sansa praised Loras' swordsmanship and expressed her interest in marrying Loras as part of the Tyrell plot to keep her out of the hands of Baelish and/or the Lannisters. Margaery replied that she would "plant the seed" of the idea after she and Joffrey got married. While Sansa was sceptical that Joffrey would let her go, Margaery was confident that he would do it to please his betrothed. Unknown to Margaery and Sansa, Ser Loras was having a secret homosexual relationship with his squire Olyver. During this meeting, Loras briefly mentioned that he was to be married to Sansa. Unknown to Loras, Olyver was a spy working for Littlefinger, who reported to Cersei. In response, Cersei's father Lord Tywin Lannister arranged for Cersei and her brother Tyrion Lannister to marry Loras and Sansa respectively in order to curb the ambitions of House Tyrell and to bolster the marriage alliance between the Lannisters and the Tyrells.

While Sansa was unhappy about this arranged marriage to a Lannister, Maragery Tyrell consoled Sansa by reminding her that Tyrion was far from the worst Lannister and that Tyrion might be able to make her happy given his skills as a lover. Later, Margaery also attended Sansa and Tyrion's wedding. Prior to the wedding reception, she attempted to ingratiate herself with Cersei, commenting that they would technically be sisters soon. However, Cersei rebuffed her friendship by telling Margaery about the story behind the "Rains of Castamere". She explained that the song referred to House Lannister's destruction of the rebellious of House Reyne of Castamere. This was meant to infer similarities between the ambitions and position of Houses Reyne and Tyrell and that the same fate may fall upon House Tyrell if they plotted against the Lannisters). Cersei also threatened to have Margaery strangled in her sleep if she ever dared to call Cersei sister again. During the wedding dinner, Margaery was seated with her grandmother Olenna and the two talked about the dynamics of the Lannister and Tyrell families, with Margaery shooting her grandmother a withering glare when Loras stormed out.

Season 4
Olenna assists Margaery in picking out a necklace for her upcoming wedding. She selects the finest of those on offer, noting affectionately that it is similar to one she received from Margaery's grandfather on her 51st name day. Olenna chucks the piece over the rampart and into Blackwater Bay and orders the Tyrell handmaidens to canvass every jeweler in King's Landing for better offerings. After they are left alone, Margaery sardonically suggests letting Joffrey pick out the necklace, which knowing him will likely consist of severed sparrow's heads. Olenna cautions Margaery to mind what she says, even with her. They are shortly interrupted by Brienne of Tarth, who has come to speak with Margaery about Renly's death. In private, Brienne explains what she saw and how the shadow had Stannis's face, and assures Margaery that she will find a way to avenge their king. Margaery reminds Brienne that Joffrey is their king now. Brienne apologizes for any offence given, but Margaery assures her that none was taken.

Margaery's wedding to Joffrey goes off without a hitch. At the wedding feast, however, Joffrey's cruelty and twisted sense of humor become apparent in the tasteless performance of the War of the Five Kings he has performed and in his treatment of his uncle Tyrion. Margaery is only barely able to distract him, proving her control over him is fleeting. Everything is cut short, however, when Joffrey is poisoned and dies in front of Margaery's eyes.

As the capital is in "mourning", Margaery inquires to Olenna if she is actually the queen or not. Her grandmother advises her to not press the issue just yet. She tells Margaery of how she felt when Luthor Tyrell died, but also says that Margaery is at least lucky that her third marriage should be easier than the other two. Margaery is surprised by this, but Olenna points out that the Lannisters need their alliance with the Tyrells far more than they do.

Margaery learns, to her disappointment, that Olenna intends to return to Highgarden before Tommen's coronation. Her grandmother tells her that she should be able to handle things herself from this point. Before she leaves, Olenna tells her about how she seduced Luthor Tyrell to get out of her engagement to a Targaryen, and advises Margaery to make her move on Tommen while Cersei is still distracted over Joffrey's murder. Margaery is confused by Olenna's certainty that Tyrion is innocent, until Olenna makes it clear that she would never have allowed Margaery to marry "that beast", heavily implying that it was she who poisoned Joffrey.

Later that night, Margaery steals into Tommen's bedchamber, apparently easily sneaking past the Kingsguard. She discusses rumors of their upcoming wedding with him and interacts in a friendly manner with his cat, Ser Pounce. Margaery and Tommen bond over their relief that they won't have to live in fear of Joffrey anymore. Margaery asks if she can visit him again in secret; Tommen agrees. Realizing that she must be maternal in her initial manipulation of him, Margaery gives him a kiss on the forehead as she leaves.

Still dressed in mourning clothes, Margaery watches Tommen's coronation from the side gallery of the great hall. Cersei approaches her and engages her in conversation. To Margaery's surprise, Cersei says that the things Joffrey did shocked her, then asks rhetorically if Margaery thinks many things shock her. Cersei asks if Margaery still wants to be the queen, to which the lady replies that she hasn't thought about it. Cersei ignores the obvious lie and says that Tommen will need someone to guide him; apparently, she doesn't have the will to fight about Margaery being that someone anymore. Cersei and Tywin later set the date of Margaery and Tommen's wedding to right after the mourning period is over, a fortnight from the coronation.

Along with her brother and father (who is one of the three judges), Margaery is present at the trial of Tyrion Lannister. Although she isn't particularly fond of Tyrion, she looks visibly displeased at the proceedings, well aware that Tyrion is innocent and the trial is a farce. Nonetheless, Margaery remains silent throughout the trial.

Personality
Margaery's beauty is equivalent to her cleverness, both which she holds in abundance. A true protegè of her grandmother Olenna, she's a gifted strategist who know how to maneuver her way in court politics. Margaery strength is in her ability to win the minds and loyalties of her subjects, which has proven to be a threat to those who rival her family such as the Lannisters. She demonstrated her formidable skill in her charity work and manipulation of Joffrey; making him think she shared his dark impulses. In return Margaery gained the acceptance of both her subjects and Joffrey, who was an unpredictable, sociopathic King. This proved to be a threat to Cersei who only relied on the fear of her family name and her position as a source of power when in actuality Cersei has little influence over her family, in contrast to Margaery who is a major factor in the Tyrell Family schemes and stratagem. Though her desire is a place on the Iron Throne as the queen, she hasn't shown to have any insidious motives or plans for the position, but to secure Tyrell's position in the royal fold.

​Although Margaery has had to develop many different facades depending on who she is trying to manipulate, she is shown to genuinely have a good heart, compassion and empathy.

Behind the scenes

 * On the Season 2 Blu-ray, Margaery narrates Histories & Lore videos on "House Tyrell" and "Robert's Rebellion". On the Season 3 Blu-ray, she narrates "The Reach"​.

In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Margaery is the unwed daughter of Mace Tyrell, one of the most powerful lords in Westeros. Margaery herself is considered to be not only very beautiful, but very intelligent despite her relatively young age. The Tyrells are a loving family, and Margaery has a good relationship with both her parents and her brother Loras. She also has a close relationship with her paternal grandmother, Olenna Redwyne, who has tutored Margaery in the skills of court intrigue.

Many Houses and eligible lords want to marry their sons to Margaery and gain an alliance with the formidable House Tyrell, but Mace has been holding out for the most favorable match possible.

Magaery is younger in the books, sixteen at the time of her marriage to Renly making her the same age as Robb Stark. However, Margaery has been further aged in the series, making her slightly older than Robb Stark, as Natalie Dormer is four years older than Richard Madden. The TV series producers enjoyed Dormer's audition so much that they decided to overlook this minor difference. Thus while Margaery is the youngest of Mace's children in the books, TV-Margaery is officially a year or two older than her brother Loras - though in the male-dominated culture and inheritance system of the Seven Kingdoms, this does not change Margaery's place in line of succession, or significantly change her character.

Margaery's true motivations are not discussed in the books, but the TV series makes her ambitions clear to the audience. This is largely due to the narrative mechanics: Margaery is not a POV character in the books (neither is Renly or Loras), and the scenes at King Renly's army camp are told from Catelyn's point of view - logically, she doesn't see the inside of Renly's tent nor is she privy to Margaery's actions. The TV series has the freedom to expand on the stories of non-POV characters, hence the apparent expansion of Margaery's character. Thus Margaery in the TV series is faithful to Margaery's actions and behavior in the books, it's just that the TV series actually depicts events which occurred "off screen" in the books.

An interesting result of showing Margaery's POV actions is the effect it will have on portraying the sparring between Margaery and Cersei Lannister. Most of the clashes between Margaery and Cersei are shown from Cersei's POV, but Cersei is an "unreliable narrator".

The first book Game of Thrones features a small subplot hinting that Renly Baratheon was working as an agent to the Tyrells' rising power by trying to bring Margaery to King's Landing. He shows her picture to Ned Stark and asks if resembles Lyanna Stark, hoping that such a resemblance will convince Robert to lay Cersei aside and make Margaery Queen. A slightly bemused Ned insists that Margaery and Lyanna look nothing alike.

"Margaery" in the series is pronounced identically to the real-world "Marjorie".