Character Analysis
Folks, we're just going to say it—Queen Amberly is the best. Even America, who's skeptical of the upper classes as a whole, can't resist her charm. That's saying something.
One reason for Amberly's awesomeness is that she was a Four when she was Selected. As a Four, Amberly was smack-dab in the middle of the caste system: just above the lower castes like America's and Aspen's but well below upper-crusters like Celeste. That makes herway more compassionate to the lower castes than most peeps at the palace.
Although she really likes the Queen, America does have a hard time seeing her as an actual human being. Amberly's just too wonderful. Despite these initial reservations, however, America is able to take Amberly off her pedestal by seeing her as a mother: "I turned and caught the briefest of moments in Maxon's life. His mother, the beautiful Queen Amberly, pushed some stray hairs back into place" (14.56).
It seems small, but it's a big moment. Later, after Amberly's sister reveals that the Queen had several miscarriages before giving birth to Maxon, America feels even closerto her. What's more, it sparks an important revelation for America about families and individuals in general: "So much went through my head. How families are families, no matter the caste. How mothers all have their own worries to bear" (19.98).
In other words, even queens have their struggles—they put their crowns on one head at a time, just like the rest of us. Jokes aside, Queen Amberly is exactly the type of ruler that America wants to be should she be Selected. Let's just hope she can close the game out.