Jayne Westerling as the Younger Queen - Cersei's Prophecy

[Makes No Sansa]

I don't know why, I think Cersei will be like Elizabeth Bathory, who bathed in maiden's blood to keep herself young and pretty.

[Antonius Pius]

I don't know why, I think Cersei will be like Elizabeth Bathory, who bathed in maiden's blood to keep herself young and pretty.

Wasn't that Mad Danelle Lothston?

[Metis]

One interesting aspect in support of this theory is the fact that Jeyne Westerling is, if I am not mistaken, the grand-daughter of Maggie the Frog. GRRM took the time to add in that detail .. and I have always wondered what it meant. In any case, it provides a link between the possible younger queen of the prophecy and the prophecy-giver. Mere coincidence?

[Lion of Judah]

Jeyne is the Yoko Ono of the Seven Kingdoms. She has served her purpose, hopefully we never see her again until the surviving Starks come to take everything from her two faced family.

[Real Heir of Bear Island]

I just thought about this now. If you go back a few pages I was pretty convinced it was Dany. However I realized Cersei is not really a Queen anymore after her walk of shame and conceding regency to Kevan. So technically it was Margery who had cast her away as queen. At least temporarily. Now if Cersei wins her trial and Marge loses, and Cersei gets back the regency, my theory is done.

[Metis]

I just thought about this now. If you go back a few pages I was pretty convinced it was Dany. However I realized Cersei is not really a Queen anymore after her walk of shame and conceding regency to Kevan. So technically it was Margery who had cast her away as queen. At least temporarily. Now if Cersei wins her trial and Marge loses, and Cersei gets back the regency, my theory is done.

Interesting and true if GRRM means "queen" in the Queen Regnant sense. He could also mean dowager queen or queen mother (Cersei is both) or perhaps even "queen" in a figurative sense -- e.g. The Queen of Thorns (and yes I know that Queen of Thorns is not an option for the prophecy but I couldn't think of any other figurative queens at the moment =/).

So many options! So little patience for waiting for the next book!

[MM22]

I think it is more likely to be Sansa that fulfils the prophecy, if anyone.

"Queen you shall be . . . until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear."

"Gold shall be their crowns and gold their shrouds," she said. "And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you."

Of course, the prophecy may not be 100% accurate, it may merely allude to upcoming events, but for me, the points to consider are:

- The younger more beautiful (Queen):

To fulfil the prophecy, the woman must be considered to be as beautiful as Cersei (or at least younger, and therefore in possession of a more youthful beauty), or more beautiful on the inside - an inner grace or nobility.

- To take all you hold dear:

From my perspective, the only things Cersei holds dear are:

- Her children:

Joffrey

Tommen

Myrcella

- Her position and power

- Jaime

- Tywin

The Valonqar:

- Implies the involvement of a younger sibling in Cersei's downfall. The obvious candidates are Jaime and Tyrion being Cersei's own younger siblings but if the prophecy is read as continuous, it could also imply the younger sibling of the 'Queen' figure.

Queen is implied but not stated, but even if we're only talking about actual or figurative Queens, only a few fit the bill:

- Jeyne: is no longer Queen of the North in any real sense. When a king dies, his widow queen may reign as regent for their child but her actual queenship is usually over. It is doubtful that Jeyne even carries an heir and aside from that, she has fulfilled virtually nothing of the prophecy as we interpret it.

- Daenerys: is a Targaryen Queen. Certainly younger than Cersei, potentially as or more beautiful, certainly on the inside. However, she has had very little to do with events in Westeros so far - having no part at all in the destruction of Joffrey, Tywin, Tommen, Myrcella, or Cersei's own power. As far as we know for certain, Daenerys is the youngest of her house, with no younger siblings or even cousins to assume the valonqar role.

- Margaery: is the Queen, and has technically been a Baratheon Queen three times - Renly, Joffrey, Tommen. Margaery is obviously younger and arguably more beautiful than Cersei. Margaery has also had an active part to play in the death of Joffrey, and could have figuratively 'taken' Tommen when she married him. Margaery has no younger siblings.

- Sansa: With Robb slain, and Bran and Rickon thought dead, Sansa appears as the legitimate heir to North in many ways. Sansa's youth and beauty is well known.This makes her a figurative Queen. She, like Margaery has played a part in the death of Joffrey, but it is also Tyrion, Sansa's husband that takes Cersei's father. Arya is also ideal for the role of valonqar, being the younger sibling.

My ultimate theory:

That the prophecy did not have to come true at all. That Cersei, by holding Sansa hostage and losing Arya (subsequently leading to Sansa learning the game and Arya's assassin path), set into motion a chain of events and circumstances that would ultimately create the perfect political Queen (Sansa) and Valonqar (Arya).

Sansa:

- is younger, and more beautiful - certainly in personality if not physically.

- played a part in Joffrey's death.

- her husband, and marriage lead to Tywin's murder by Tyrion.

- is stated by Jaime, to be his last chance at honor.

- is in many ways, the legitimate Queen of the North.

- is moving into a position that may well allow her to gain true power.

Arya:

- has repeatedly stated Cersei to be on her hit list.

[Death By Fire]

No way she's prettier than Cersei.

[Faint]

The television series pretty much ended Jeyne Westerling as a possibility for this role. My guess is that it's Brienne of Tarth.

[Lord Joker Of FunLand]

Only Jaime said she was plain looking, and considering his description of her doesn't match Cat's, there's theories that this "Jeyne" is a fake and the real Jeyne is elsewhere. Only a theory though.

And GRRM has said that was purely a mistake.

But people choose to ignore that. Jeyne isn't pregnant.

[Lord Freypie]

Sansa was dishinerited in Robb's will, so isn't heir to the north. And even less considering Rickon and Bran are alive. She may be the more beautiful queen if she marries Aegon perhaps.

Now I agree she makes a better candidate than Jeyne (although I'd bet on Daenerys).

[Faint]

The idea that she has to be a queen at all is leading readers astray.

[MM22]

I am aware of Robb's will and I see that point.

But, if the heir is Jon, he would have to be legitimised by a/the crown in that will - and the rest of Westeros - having never recognised the title 'King in the North' are under no obligation to recognise Jon's claim.

Sansa needs no legitimisation at all and she, nor Jon, nor anyone else would hardly renounce her own claim in favour of (thought to be) dead younger brothers.

If Sansa's marriage is annulled, and her Lannister connection severed, I doubt the Northmen would deny Ned Stark's own daughter her claim to the North.

[R'hllor the Fabulous]

Does it really matter if she isn't a queen anymore?

It's a vague prophecy, I'd say someone who was once queen more than qualifies.