Queen Isabel of Caledonia (Dearbhla Molloy) is the main villainess from Scandal's fifth season opener, "Heavy is the Head" (airdate September 24, 2015). She is the mother of Prince Richard and the mother-in-law of Richard's wife, Princess Emily.
However, it was revealed that Princess Emily was having an affair with her bodyguard; an affair that resulted in a pregnancy. Figuring that a baby conceived in adultery would bring shame to the royal family, Queen Isabel planned to have her daughter-in-law killed; sending a man to pose as a photographer to track the car that Princess Emily and her lover were in. The henchman hacked into the vehicle and caused a crash that killed the illicit couple and Emily's unborn baby.
Olivia Pope and Associates took the family as clients following Emily's murder, and suspicion turned towards Prince Richard, as he was believed to have known about the affair and committed the murder out of jealousy. However, during Olivia's conversation with Queen Isabel, the latter stated that Richard loved his wife and couldn't see what she is, which revealed the Queen as the true villainous mastermind. Regarding a motive, the evil Queen Isabel coldly stated that Emily's one duty was to give birth to an heir, and she chastised her late daughter-in-law for "failing" to do that, while also arrogantly reminding Olivia that their nondisclosure agreement prevents her from revealing the truth.
However, Richard wasn't held to the agreement, and he informed his evil mother that she is to abdicate the throne, under the threat of having her sinister activities revealed if she opposed. It was announced on a newscast that Queen Isabel did abdicate, per her son's demand.
Trivia[]
- Dearbhla Molloy also played remorseful villainess Cara Nabb on New Tricks.
Quotes[]
- "My son is innocent, Olivia. He loved that girl. Worshipped her... blindly. She could do no wrong where he was concerned. And I certainly couldn't tell him what she really was. (Olivia: "You knew she was pregnant.") She could have given birth to a child who looked exactly like that bodyguard of hers, and my son still wouldn't have seen it. She had one job: to give us an heir and a spare. And at that single job, she failed. (Olivia: "You had her killed because it wasn't your grandchild?") A tragic loss of life--but far less tragic than handing the crown to one who is not its rightful heir." (Queen Isabel's callous reasoning for having her daughter-in-law killed)
- "This is a private matter, Olivia, protected by diplomatic immunity and by the nondisclosure agreement you signed when you entered my employ, guaranteeing that the monarchy of Caledonia will continue as it has...for millennia to come, as it must. Oh, not all fairy tales have happy endings, my dear." (Queen Isabel reminding Olivia that she couldn't go public with the villainous revelation)