Character Analysis
Independent and Funny
Just don't call her Liz.
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon is a born leader of men (or man)… even if it takes her most of the movie to realize it. She's acerbic, whipsmart, and also as nurturing as anyone we've seen onscreen. The next time we're feeling low, we'd really like it if the future Queen Mum (as played by Helena Bonham Carter, at any rate) would come stroke our heads.
But the only furrowed brow Elizabeth strokes is her husband's. She has his back. And this makes sense—between Bertie and Elizabeth, Elizabeth is the more confident. This is absolutely connected to the fact that, unlike Bertie, she doesn't stutter. But it's also clear that Elizabeth is an independent a funny person who knows what's what.
Even in the movie's first scenes, she questions the authority of Bertie's speech therapist. When the man says that his method is the same one that cured the great Demosthenes, Elizabeth answers, "That was in Ancient Greece. Has it worked since?"
But Elizabeth isn't only good at zinging Bertie's therapists. She's also the best therapist Bertie has because she's the only one who can calm him down when he feels humiliated or frustrated. Whenever Bertie gets upset, she'll say things like, "Temper, Bertie Darling, temper. Tick tock, tick tock." So it's clear from the get-go that Bertie wouldn't get very far in his life without Elizabeth supporting him.
The Other Hero
Many people might think of Bertie as the "hero" of this movie. But in many ways, Elizabeth deserves the credit of this role too. After all, she's the one who doesn't give up on Bertie… even after he gives up on himself. She's the only reason Bertie ever visits Lionel Logue, who asks about Bertie at his first meeting with Elizabeth. Elizabeth replies, "He doesn't know I'm here," which shows us that she's willing to go behind Bertie's back if she thinks she can help him.
Unlike Bertie, Elizabeth isn't as quick to accept Lionel's offer of total equality and friendship. When he asks Elizabeth and her "hubby" to "pop by his office," Elizabeth coolly answers,
ELIZABETH: Doctor, forgive me. I don't have a "hubby". We don't "pop." And nor do we ever talk about our private lives. No, you must come to us.
But by the end of the movie, Elizabeth becomes very fond of Lionel and is willing to say, "Thank you… Lionel." Calling him by his first name shows that Elizabeth has accepted Logue as a true friend. Even though she knows many things her husband doesn't, she also has her own learning to do (most of it about learning to accept commoners) and she learns just as much in this movie as any other character.
Elizabeth's Timeline