The Legend of Zelda: Who Princess Zelda’s Mother Is

The Legend of Zelda series has a rich and eclectic range of characters that can vary from game to game. Some, such as Beedle and Tingle, have become iconic despite only appearing in a smattering of titles. Meanwhile, others have only been present in one entry, such as Twilight Princess’ Midna and Zant. Even Zelda herself does not show up in all of the games in Nintendo’s long-running series, despite being the franchise’s eponymous princess. However, there is one character that is mostly absent in all of the games in the Zelda series thus far: Zelda’s mother.

Princess Zelda’s father, the king of Hyrule, has appeared in several of the games in the Legend of Zelda series. Sometimes he is only mentioned, but not seen, as in Ocarina of Time, when instead players glimpse Ganondorf kneeling before the king (who is offscreen). However, his most notable appearance in the whole of the series’ 35-year history is in Breath of the Wild. As players traverse Breath of the Wild’s sprawling map, they will unlock memories that show Zelda and her father King Rhoam’s tense and complex relationship.

In this entry, King Rhoam is shown to be an imposing and rather cold father. This is not necessarily what he genuinely wants to be, though. When Link first encounters King Rhoam, he expresses remorse at how he treated Zelda in the past. Moreover, if players decide to explore a little bit deeper within Hyrule Castle in Breath of the Wild, they will come across the king’s journal. Included in his memoirs is more information on Princess Zelda’s birth, and their relationship from his perspective. There is also more about Zelda’s mother, the unnamed queen of Hyrule.

Breath Of The Wild: The Queen Of Hyrule’s Legacy

According to King Rhoam’s Breath of the Wild journal entry, Zelda’s mother died when Zelda was only six years old. The cause of her death is never divulged, with the king only stating that it was “sudden and unexpected.” Her death clearly brought a great sadness to King Rhoam. The absence of a mother figure for Zelda evidently weighed heavy on the king, perhaps making his actions later in Zelda’s life more understandable. Meanwhile, in Zelda’s diary, the princess writes how she lost “not just a mother, but a teacher” after this unexpected death.

However, what King Rhoam and Princess Zelda may not have appreciated at first is the other characters in Breath of the Wild, and their affections for the queen of Hyrule. In the Champions Ballad DLC, players can come across another diary, this time from the Gerudo Champion Urbosa. Here, even more information about Zelda’s mother is revealed. Urbosa writes:

“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.”

The queen’s death prior to the events of Breath of the Wild and the Great Calamity clearly affected Urbosa deeply. Her diary in the latest The Legend of Zelda game continues months after the queen’s funeral, stating her intense grief at the loss of her friend. However, Urbosa keeps the queen’s memory truly alive in the way that she cares for Princess Zelda in Breath of the Wild, even calling her little bird just like her mother once did. While Zelda’s mother may have gone, she is still alive in the hearts of those that knew her and loved her.

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Victoria Phillips Kennedy
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