Margaery Tyrell

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Lore & Background

Margaery Tyrell hails from House Tyrell, the second wealthiest and largest Great House in Westeros. Her brothers include Willas, the heir to Highgarden; Ser Garlan the Gallant; and Ser Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers. She is mentored by her paternal grandmother, Lady Olenna of House Redwyne, known as the Queen of Thorns, who arranges Margaery's marriages and teaches her court intrigue. In the novels, Margaery is not a point-of-view character; her actions are witnessed through Sansa Stark and Cersei Lannister. She uses generosity and charm to win the common people's favor. Her story involves switching allegiance from Renly Baratheon after his assassination in A Clash of Kings to marrying Joffrey Baratheon in A Storm of Swords (2000), where she learns of his true nature through Sansa. After Joffrey is poisoned at their wedding, she marries Tommen in A Feast for Crows (2005), sparking a power struggle with Cersei that ends with Margaery being framed for adultery.

In Their Own Story

In the television series, Margaery first appears in Season 2 as Renly Baratheon's wife, pragmatically accepting his relationship with her brother Loras. Following Renly's assassination, she reveals to Petyr Baelish that she suspects Stannis is responsible and declares her ambition to be Queen of Westeros. Moving to the Red Keep in Season 3, she manages Joffrey better than anyone else, replacing Sansa Stark as his fiancée while winning over the poor with charitable acts. In Season 4, she marries Joffrey but becomes a widow hours later when he is poisoned at their feast; Olenna admits to masterminding it, but Margaery stays silent during Tyrion's trial. She then wed Tommen in Season 5, becoming Queen and taunting Cersei. To remove her rival, Cersei enables the Faith Militant to arrest Loras for homosexuality, trapping Margaery into perjury when she denies knowledge of his proclivities. Both are arrested, but Jaime frees Margaery in Season 6 after she convinces Tommen to ally with the Faith. She arranges Loras's release by having him renounce his inheritance, only to realize Cersei has plotted a wildfire attack on the Sept of Baelor during her trial.

Reader's Guide

Margaery Tyrell is defined by her adaptability and use of public perception as a weapon. Unlike Cersei, who relies on fear, Margaery courts the masses through visible charity and warmth, appearing as a benevolent figure while maneuvering for the throne. Her strategy involves marrying into power: first to Renly to gain military support, then to Joffrey to secure the crown, and finally to Tommen to rule as regent. She excels at social engineering, shifting her persona from grieving widow to pious queen without losing her ambition. Her death occurs in Season 6 when wildfire ignites beneath the Sept of Baelor on Cersei's orders, killing Margaery, Loras, and hundreds instantly. This event prompts Olenna to ally with Dorne and support Daenerys Targaryen's invasion.

Did You Know?

• Margaery is not a point-of-view character in the novels; her actions are interpreted solely through the eyes of Sansa Stark and Cersei Lannister.
• In the books, Margaery is a teenager when she first appears, whereas Natalie Dormer portrays her as an adult in the TV series.
• Margaery married three kings—Renly, Joffrey, and Tommen—over the course of the narrative.
• Lady Olenna Tyrell admits to masterminding the poisoning of King Joffrey at his wedding feast, though Margaery keeps this secret during Tyrion's trial.
• Margaery was killed instantly when wildfire set beneath the Sept of Baelor by Qyburn on Cersei's orders engulfed the building in flames.