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11[[quoteright:316:[[Literature/TheSnowQueen https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snow_queen_book.png]]]]
12%%
13->''"The snow glows white on the mountain tonight,\
14Not a footprint to be seen.\
15A kingdom of isolation,\
16And it looks like I'm the queen."''
17-->-- '''Elsa''', "Let It Go", from ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013''
18
19In fiction, there are a lot of upper-class characters (royalty, nobility, and otherwise wealthy people) who have a visual aesthetic that evokes snow, ice, and winter.
20
21The most basic reason is that these people often live or rule somewhere cold, and thus dress to fit the part. Because of how [[ColorCodedElements snow and ice are most commonly colored]], they will have a primarily pale blue and white color scheme, with lots of accoutrements that say both "cold" and "rich", such as appropriately colored gems like sapphires and diamonds, a PimpedOutDress, and rich furs.
22
23Visually, there is a lot to connect the cold with being upper-class. Ice crystals and snowflakes can evoke [[EverythingsSparklyWithJewelry sparkly, glittery things like gemstones and jewelry]], while clean white snow can bring [[TheRichHaveWhiteStuff expensive and pristine white items to mind]]. Anyone who lives in a cold region will often wear a lot of furs, [[PrettyInMink which are also associated with wealth and glamour]]. These characters also incorporate historical attributes of the wealthy and high-ranked: they are often pale due to the climate (a fair complexion indicated that one did not have to labor in the sun) and wear the color blue.
24
25Winter Royal Ladies often draw heavily from the titular character of ''Literature/TheSnowQueen'', a regal woman who rules over snow creatures in the permafrost. Expect them to have a similar ice-themed title, like "The Ice Princess", to emphasize this reference, and to have a suitably frosty personality as well. Because of ''The Snow Queen'', how [[IceQueen ice has connotations of distance, danger, and mystery]], how [[WaterIsWomanly water itself is associated with womanhood]], and how [[TrueBlueFemininity blue]] and white are associated with femininity, this trope skews female, although male examples exist.
26
27Being a Winter Royal Lady [[AnIcePerson with some sort of domain/control over ice and snow]] is common in fantasy settings; more extreme examples may also be the AnthropomorphicPersonification of winter or similar. They may have an IcePalace to match.
28
29Compare YukiOnna and JackFrost, winter mythical figures who may be portrayed this way. See also EtherealWhiteDress and VirginInAWhiteDress, for characters with a similar visual scheme but very different connotations. May have some overlap with TragicIceCharacter.
30
31
32!!Examples:
33[[foldercontrol]]
34
35[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
36* ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'' portrays Snegurochka (see Mythology and Religion) as a girl in a fancifully-trimmed snow coat with a diadem reminiscent of the star on a Christmas tree and describes her as a "Snow Princess". The Japanese main characters compare her to a YukiOnna.
37* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': Rukia Kuchiki is a member of one of Soul Society's Noble Houses. Her Zanpakuto powers are ice in nature [[spoiler:her clothes turn white in her SuperMode]].
38* In ''Literature/TheIrregularAtMagicHighSchool'', [[SchoolIdol Miyuki]] isn't true royalty (the story being set in a futuristic Japan), but her admirers call her the "Snow Queen" anyway because of her aristocratic origins and cryokinesis.
39* In ''Literature/{{Maoyu}}'', the ruler of the Ice Nation, one of the Southern Kingdoms, is the [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep Blizzard Queen]].
40* In ''Manga/{{MAR}}'', the heroes meet Princess Snow for the first time while she is sealed inside [[HumanPopsicle an iceberg]] of her own making to protect herself when the palace was attacked by Chess soldiers. While she has a [[PrincessesPreferPink pink]]-and-white colour scheme rather than the usual blue colour associated with this trope, she does wear a snowman-shaped ÄRM to reflect her [[AnIcePerson ice]] (and later water) powers.
41* In the ''Anime/SailorMoon S'' movie, the villain is Princess Snow Kaguya. She appears to be actually MADE of ice.
42* The main antagonist of ''Anime/VoltesV'', [[WarriorPrince Prince]] [[RoyalBrat Heinel]], is RareMaleExample. He wears a [[PrettyInMink thick dark blue mink coat]], and the collar [[https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Prince_Heinel?file=Prince_Heinel_2z.jpg resembles a snowflake]].
43
44[[/folder]]
45
46[[folder:Comic Books]]
47* Lumi The Snow Queen in ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}'' ("Lumi" is Finnish and actually is the most common word in the language for "snow").
48* ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueInternational'': Ice is the princess of an isolated tribe of ice magic-wielding Norsemen. Her outfits are typically white, blue, or some combination of both.
49* Princess Snowina of ''Franchise/WonderWoman'' [[ComicBook/WonderWoman1942 Vol 1]] is the ruler of the North Pole.
50* In ''ComicBook/XFactor'', ComicBook/JeanGrey had a playful SnowballFight with Scott, both [[MundaneUtility using their powers]], and since Jean had just bought a brand new [[PrettyInMink white fur coat]], she proclaims herself "the queen of the icy north!".
51[[/folder]]
52
53[[folder:Fan Works]]
54* ''Fanfic/QueensOfMewni'': Celestia, Queen of Winter, an [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Elsa]] expy with white hair, snowflakes for cheekmarks, [[AnIcePerson ice powers]] and a preference for blue (she would even wear a dress similar to Elsa's for her coronation). However, none of the above is why she's called the Queen of Winter, no, that would be because of her botching a spell and causing the EndlessWinter that defined her reign, which ultimately makes her a tragic character. Her tapestry shows a sad Celestia, in furs and warm clothing, staring sadly at her wand as snow falls across Mewni.
55[[/folder]]
56
57[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
58* ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013'': Queen Elsa is based on ''Literature/TheSnowQueen'', and despite the numerous changes made to the source material, still demonstrates many of the trappings of this trope: [[AnIcePerson ice powers]], an IcePalace built on a whim, and a sparkly light blue dress she [[GorgeousGarmentGeneration made of ice]]. In [[WhatCouldHaveBeen early draft scripts]] where she was a villain, she even calls herself the Snow Queen, meant to be a MeaningfulRename when she [[ThatManIsDead abandons her past life]].
59[[/folder]]
60
61[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
62* The Ice Princess and her father, the Ice King. from ''Film/TheAdventuresOfSharkboyAndLavagirl''. She is a gigantic humanoid composed ''entirely of ice'', and he really is King of an ice kingdom.
63* The Ice Princess from ''Film/BatmanReturns'' is a beauty queen responsible for lighting up the giant Christmas Tree in Gotham Plaza. It's played for {{fanservice}} since she wears a fur-trimmed leotard instead of a holiday dress. Her title was also an allusion to her original IceQueen characterization in [[WhatCouldHaveBeen the earlier screenplays]].
64* ''Film/TheHuntsmanWintersWar'' introduces Freya, the Ice Queen, who uses cryokinetic powers to keep her kingdom in a permanent state of winter to display her powers.
65[[/folder]]
66
67[[folder:Gamebooks]]
68* The eponymous villain from ''Literature/CavernsOfTheSnowWitch'', is an Ice-powered sorceress who wants to plunge the world into a new Ice age.
69[[/folder]]
70
71[[folder:Literature]]
72* The titular villainess from ''Literature/CavernsOfTheSnowWitch'' in the ''Literature/FightingFantasy'' series. Other books set in this universe have also referenced the character.
73* The White Witch, Jadis, in ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'' declares herself queen of Narnia and plunges the land in an EndlessWinter to her powers.
74* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', the [[TheFairFolk Winter Court]] make this pretty much literal. Winter Lady Maeve, Winter Queen Mab, and Mother Winter are pretty much the embodiment of ''cold''.
75* In Malcolm's ''Jewel Kingdom'' series, the Diamond Princess wears a shimmering white gown and lives in an arctic region, as fits her jewel's aesthetic.
76%%* "The Lady of the Ice Garden" by Kara Dalkey is this story [[RecycledInSpace retold in twelfth-century Japan]].
77* In '' Literature/APracticalGuideToEvil'' the queen of [[spoiler: Callow, Catherine, ]] becomes this after defeating (in a way) the [[TheFairFolk Court of Winter]] and being the sole titled entity that's left of her former court. Befitting her status, she also has very powerful ice powers.
78* ''The Queen of Frost and Darkness'', by Christine Pope, is a re-imagining of Andersen's fairy tale set in czarist Russia.
79* ''Literature/TheSnowQueen'' by Creator/HansChristianAndersen involves the eponymous lady who is implied to be the personification of winter.
80%%* ''The Snow Queen'' by Joan D. Vinge is the same story expanded upon... [[RecycledInSpace in space!]]
81* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' has a rare male version of the trope:
82** In the backstory to ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', the Kings in the North (ruling from the castle of Winterfell) used to be colloquially known as the Kings of Winter, fitting the recurring ice/winter motif of House Stark. Presumably any woman to inherit the Northern crown would be the Queen of Winter. Tywin put it best when describing the Northern army, showing how the entire North under House Stark plays up the winter theme as a means of intimidation (notably, the North is shown to sometimes be described as the "winterlands", ruled by the Kings of Winter from Winterfell with a motto warning about the dangers of winter):
83--->''"The men of the winterlands are made of iron and ice, and even my boldest knights fear to face them."''
84** Teenage king Robb Stark revives this title when he is raised up to King in the North, King of the Trident, and King of Winter when he rebels against the Iron Throne.
85* In ''Literature/SpinningSilver'', Irina becomes this when she wears jewelry made of silver from the Staryk, a race of [[TheFairFolk ice-dwelling fae]]. Because she is one-quarter Staryk herself, the silver amplifies the little magic she has and makes her seem like the WorldsMostBeautifulWoman. The jewelry is described as looking at "winter around her throat", or hand, or brow, and her preferred dress colors are in grey or blue.
86* Princess Leia's adopted sister/lifelong friend, Lady Winter Celchu, from the Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse. This one is an unusual example, in that "Lady Winter" isn't her title -- "Winter" is her actual first name.
87* The novel ''Stealing Snow'' is about a DecadentCourt whose rulers are granted cryokinesis. When the RightfulQueenReturns, her pragmatism and confidence grow even as her literal magic does.
88%%* ''The Winter King'' by Bernard Cornwell is a rare male title. It was the byname of Frederick V of the Palatinate, although in that case, it was more of an insult.
89* ''The Winter Queen'' by Jane Stevenson is a novel about the actual Queen of Bohemia and her (fictional) husband-in-exile who is also a former African prince, slave, and theology student.
90[[/folder]]
91
92[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
93* Invoked in ''Canada's Drag Race'', the Canadian ForeignRemake of ''Series/RuPaulsDragRace''. The winner of the competition is dubbed the "Queen of the North," and in the first season's promotional material, half the queens are wearing white or ice blue dresses.
94* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'''s "Love Run Cold" features a new brand of vodka being premiered at a winter-themed event complete with an "Ice Princess," who is supposed to enter seated on her throne via a rising platform. She does, but, in keeping with the theme, her fiance has stabbed her to death with her ice scepter because she had, indeed, grown cold to him and was having an affair with the vodka promoter.
95* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': All Starks and most other Northern Houses are associated with winter and its various themes, but Sansa officially becomes this after her brother Jon becomes King in the North. Her primary title is Lady of Winterfell, the north's stronghold and capital, but Princess of the North also applies following Jon's coronation as King in the North in Season 6. The same could also be said of younger sister Arya. [[spoiler:In the series finale, the North is declared an independent realm, and Sansa is crowned Queen in the North.]]
96* Downplayed with Heavenly Saint Snowgel of ''Series/MahouSentaiMagiranger'', who has the temperament and ice powers but not the title.
97* ''Series/OnceUponATime'' has Ingrid, the Snow Queen, who is [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Elsa's]] long-lost aunt, and shares [[AnIcePerson her powers]]. [[spoiler: She spends much of her time on the show as a cold-hearted villain, but [[DefrostingIceQueen warms up]] in the end]].
98* ''Series/PowerRangersMysticForce'', oddly enough, gender-flipped her into the Snow ''Prince''.
99* ''Series/VoltesVLegacy'': Prince Zardoz's coat collar resembles a snowflake, much like that of his [[Anime/VoltesV anime counterpart]].
100[[/folder]]
101
102%%[[folder:Music]]
103%%* Progressive metal band Music/SymphonyX have a song called "Lady of the Snow."
104%%* The Music/TransSiberianOrchestra's fourth album, ''The Lost Christmas Eve,'' includes a song called "Queen of the Winter Night."
105%%* Winter itself is "Ice Queen" in the eponymous Music/WithinTemptation's song.
106%%[[/folder]]
107
108[[folder:{{Mythology}} and {{Religion}}]]
109* Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden of [[Myth/RussianMythologyAndTales Russian legends]], is often shown wearing a long pale blue coat and white fur. She is often in the company of Ded Moroz (Grandpa Frost), the Russian equivalent of Santa Claus.
110%%* In the Catholic church, one of the names given to the Virgin Mary is "[[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11361c.htm Our Lady of the Snow]]".
111%%* In Myth/PacificMythology, Poli'ahu, and her sisters Lilinoe, Kahoupokane, and Waia'u.
112* In Myth/NorseMythology, Skadi is the Norse goddess of winter and was formerly a princess before marrying the Aesir god Njord. Unlike most examples of the trope, she's usually depicted wearing utilitarian fur clothing and skis since she was also the goddess of hunting, skiing, and archery.
113[[/folder]]
114
115[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
116* In the Empire Wrestling Federation, [[Wrestling/KatarinaWaters Winter]] was presented as having delusions of nobility [[{{foil}} in]] direct [[SlobsVersusSnobs contrast]] to [=SnowCal=] Chloe, an arctic PlayBoyBunny.
117* Lady Frost, especially after she won the women's belt of Midwest Championship Wrestling. Suddenly ''every'' show she was on referencing anything cold was ''obviously'' named for her, never mind it being a winter month or other icy gimmick wrestlers like AJ Snow being around. And everyone else, besides [[TagTeam Pretty Proper]] partner The Savage Gentleman Victor Benjamin became a "civilian" in her eyes.
118[[/folder]]
119
120[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
121* ''TabletopGame/CandyLand'' has Queen (currently [[YoungerAndHipper Princess]]) Frostine. She is described as being benevolent and the sweetest person in the kingdom. Traditionally she is married to King Candy, but newer copies have them as father and daughter.
122* In ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'', the Winter Court is an actual group of changelings who represent (and feed off) sorrow. Yes, their female rulers are called Queens. (Though the book notes that many Snowskins ''don't'' join the Winter Court because they want to avoid becoming this trope.)
123* Alicia Aeilene Fae, in ''TabletopGame/HeroesOfCamelot'', is known as the Queen of Frost, and is one of the last descendants of the ancient Ice Shamans; she lives in the ice mountains and leads a group of other such descendants known as the Frost Witches. In her backstory, she received much of her training (and her CanineCompanion) from the Snow Queen, Selene.
124* Jezra Wagner, the "Ice Queen", is a spectre that haunts the mountains of Barovia in the ''TabletopGame/{{Ravenloft}}'' setting. Not royal, but a noblewoman in life; her ice-pale looks and flesh-freezing touch certainly fit this trope.
125* The Snow Queen of L'Haan in ''TabletopGame/{{Talislanta}}'' is a benevolent example.
126* In the ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' Fantasy world, the northern human country of Kislev is ruled by Tzarina Katarin, also known as the Ice Queen or Ice Empress. She even uses a special ice-themed magic lore to which no other currently released character has access. The roleplaying game makes it clear that there is an entire group of Ice Witches who can use that Lore, and Tzarinas have to be at least competent with it. This doesn't apply to Tzars since only women can use ice magic.
127* In the board game ''Winter Queen'', players take on the roles of the Winter Queen's sorcerers, creating magical ornaments out of enchanted crystals.
128[[/folder]]
129
130[[folder:Toys]]
131* Franchise/{{Barbie}}, for a few years, had a line of [[HappyHolidaysDress premium holiday dolls]] called the "[[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/winterprincess_doll_64114.jpg Winter Princess]]" line. There is also the "[[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/barbie_goddess_large.jpg Fantasy Goddess of the Arctic]]" doll.
132* Toys/{{Lalaloopsy}} has the winter-themed girls Ivory Ice Crystals, who lives in a snow castle and likes to make ice jewelry, and Swirly Figure Eight.
133[[/folder]]
134
135[[folder:Video Games]]
136* ''VideoGame/AnimalRestaurant'': Lady Snow Fox is a white fox in a winter-themed outfit described as beautiful and fashionable. The body is blue with white trimming and the white collar matches her tail, giving her a PrettyInMink look.
137* ''VideoGame/CookieRunKingdom'': Frost Queen Cookie is a Legendary cookie who calls herself "a Guardian of Nature". She lives in a frozen palace and is one of the focuses of the ''The Frost Witch and the Lantern in the Snow'' storyline.
138* The third ''VideoGame/DarkParables'' game, ''Rise of the Snow Queen'', features that very fairy tale character as its antagonist, and it takes place in the Snowfall Kingdom to boot. She returns in a few of the later installments as well, still ruling the Snowfall Kingdom.
139* ''VideoGame/DemonHunterTheReturnOfTheWings'': Kalax the ice witch is the boss of Makerusia region and is also made of ice.
140* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' has Shiva, who has been called the Ice Queen in references, and certainly maintains the grace thereof in her combat.
141* The Ice Queen Stone in ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'' is inhabited by a spirit who appears as this. [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen She's also evil]], which makes you feel not so awful when you beat her and forever imprison her in a gemstone. There's also the OneSceneWonder Nowell, called "Noble" in the Japanese version, who is [[AnIcePerson mentioned to specialize in ice powers]], though she's not actually royalty.
142* ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}'' has Demeter, Goddess of the Seasons. Due to certain story events, she has assumed her wintry aspect, bestowing powers over ice and having the attire and personality to match.
143* The title character from the puzzle game ''[[http://www.bigfishgames.com/download-games/3155/ice-princess/index.html Ice Princess]]'', Mariebelle, has had her heart frozen by an evil magician.
144* ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVAbsenceMakesTheHeartGoYonder'' has the Snow Queen, Icebella; she also appears in ''VideoGame/KingsQuest2015''.
145* The first two ''VideoGame/LivingLegends'' games each involve an antagonist known as the Ice Queen.
146* A major aspect of ''VideoGame/Persona1'' is the snow queen quest, involving a teacher at St. Hermelin High putting on a [[EvilMask possessed mask]] used to perform the part of Snow Queen in a school play and being taken over by the Night Queen, Nyx.
147* In ''VideoGame/QueenAtArms'', the goddess Althea is known by various names throughout the countries where she is worshiped; in the kingdom of Orthera, where winter tends to be long, she's called Our Lady of the Ice.
148* The Ice Princess from ''VideoGame/SpyroAHerosTail'' is an anthropomorphic fox, who wears an ice blue, ermine-trimmed gown, but even that isn't enough in the [[SlippySlideyIceWorld winter level]] she resides until Spyro relights the boilers.
149* In ''VideoGame/{{SuperCity}}'' on the [[EndlessWinter Snow Plateau]], an [[IcyBlueEyes icy queen]] rules the [[IcePalace Palace of Winter]], sporting an ImpossiblyLowNeckline contrasting with a detached HighCollarOfDoom and [[SpikesOfVillainy shoulder spikes of ice]]. She demands: "My palace must be as beautiful as my face and [[IceQueen as cold as my heart]]!"
150* In ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}},'' the final boss during the Frost Moon is called the Ice Queen.
151* ''VideoGame/ThemsFightinHerds'' has Velvet, a high-class reindeer, being daughter of the jarl, who fights with Winter Magic.
152* From ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' we have [[AnIcePerson Letty Whiterock]], the "Spirit Of Winter."
153* A free online dress-up game for girls is known as ''[[http://www.girlsplay.com/game/winter-princess-dress-up/ Winter Princess]]''.
154* In ''Shadowlands'', ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' introduced the Winter Queen, ruler of the realm of Ardenweald.
155* [[CastFullOfPrettyBoys Prince-collecting]] puzzle game ''[=Yume100=]'' has a trio of brothers who are snow princes. Their names are Frost, Glacier, and Schnee (German for "snow").
156[[/folder]]
157
158[[folder:Visual Novels]]
159* One of the original founders of the Holy Grail War ritual in ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' was Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern, the previous head of the noble Einzbern family, who was known as the Saint of Winter.
160* In ''VisualNovel/ReigningPassions'', Sevastian's title is the Prince of Winter, and he has the silver and white color scheme to match.
161[[/folder]]
162
163[[folder:Webcomics]]
164* ''Webcomic/{{Oglaf}}'' has the Snow Queen, a woman with blue-white hair and clothes and lives in an IcePalace served by Yetis. She's the AnthropomorphicPersonification of winter, and her sexual frustration results in EndlessWinter in the surrounding kingdoms.
165[[/folder]]
166
167[[folder:Web Video]]
168* ''WebVideo/WrestleWrestle'': When discussing how [[Wrestling/RusevAndLana Lana]] looked (with her sparkling white suit and [[PrettyInMink fox wrap]]) in ''[=WrestleMania XXXI=]'', April described her as "The Queen of Winter", and said she wanted Lana to be her FairyGodmother.
169[[/folder]]
170
171[[folder:Western Animation]]
172* Ice Queen from ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' definitely counts as this.
173* The Minister of Winter in the ''[[Franchise/DisneyFairies Tinkerbell]]'' movies.
174* In one ''WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer'' video, the eponymous "The Snow Princess" is an IdenticalStranger to Dora. She wears a winter-themed dress and CoolCrown.
175* In a train carriage full of Rick's exes in the ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' episode "[[Recap/RickAndMortyS4E6NeverRickingMorty Never Ricking Morty]]", we see women who look similar to [[Film/TheLionTheWitchAndTheWardrobe Jadis]], [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII Aldrich]] and [[WesternAnimation/Frozen2013 Elsa]]
176* Frosta in the original ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'' is Queen of Castle Chill in the Kingdom of Snows on Etheria. Frosta in the reboot ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'' also qualifies, technically, being the Princess of the Kingdom of Snows. However, instead of being the archetypal glamorous haughty woman in a sexy dress, she's an eleven-year-old in a sensible parka.
177[[/folder]]
178
179[[folder:Real Life]]
180* Polar bears were nicknamed the "king of the Arctic".
181[[/folder]]

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