Cersei Lannister is the Queen Regent of the Seven Kingdoms and is Robert Baratheon’s widow. She is the eldest daughter of Lord Tywin Lannister and Joanna Lannister. She is a twin and is older than her twin brother Jamie Lannister. Her father being the richest man in the Seven Kingdoms, Cersei had a lavish upbringing. She lost her mother at age four, after her mother died while giving birth to Cersei’s younger brother Tyrion. As a result, she has always hated her brother for she blamed him for their mother’s death.
She developed an incestuous relationship with her twin brother Jamie that went on even after her marriage to King Robert. As a result, all three of her children are fathered by her brother. Their relationship is hidden at first, but later comes to light. She loves her children but fails to give them guidance where it is needed. Her poor parenting can especially be seen in Joffrey Baratheon’s character.
Cersei is ambitious, cunning and willful as seen by many of her devious acts. She thinks quite highly of herself because of being her father’s daughter. She consider herself to be politically intelligent, where as she is not. She is known for her quick temper and rash decisions which often lead to dire consequences that she rarely considers. She does not like facing facts that she deems unpleasant and cannot be bothered to deal with the smaller details of administration. She believes in ruling her people in fear rather than love just like her father, but lacks her father’s wisdom of ruling with caution and sound judgement. She resents her father for marrying her off to Robert Baratheon and feels that he has never fully had confidence in her or her abilities.
She is responsible for setting off one of the major events of the series by having Eddard Stark ‘confess’ to acts of treason to discredit him and prevent him from exposing her incestuous relationship with her brother. This goes wrong when her son Joffrey, demands for Eddard’s head, eventually having him killed. She is also responsible for Robert Baratheon’s death by giving one of his squires, Lance, a particularly strong drink that she claimed the king’s life. The drink caused the king to become extremely drunk thus resulting in him being injured by a boar during a hunting party. The king dies before Eddard can expose the truth about his children’s true parentage. Later on, acting as Queen Regent to Joffrey, she disregards Robb Stark’s terms for peace, causing him to advance an army to King’s Landing.
Out of her hate for Tyrion, she kidnaps his supposed girlfriend, Alayaya, who is a prostitute, has her beaten and holds her ransom in exchange for her son Tommen. During the battle at King’s Landing, Cersei invites all noblewomen in the city to hide in the Red Keep. She provides them with wine to help keep their minds off the battle. However, she also invites Ser Illyn whom she instructs to kill them should they lose the battle. During the same battle, out of fear for Joffrey’s life, she has him called to the Red Keep which results in a loss of morale among the people that nearly cost them the whole battle.
Tywin takes back control and intends to marry Cersei off to Willas Tyrell, someone who is almost half her age. Cersei objects but has no control over the matter. During the same season, she witnesses Joffrey die in her arms and falsely accuses Tyrion and Sansa Stark as being responsible. This causes both of them to flee King’s Landing.
She is portrayed by actress Lena Headey.