Tardis

New to Doctor Who or returning after a break? Check out our guides designed to help you find your way!

READ MORE

Tardis
Register
Advertisement
Tardis
Nefertiti

Nefertiti, Lady of the Two Lands, was Queen of Egypt in the year 1334 BC and the wife of King Amenhotep.

Biography[]

Nefertiti was the wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten. Together the couple had six daughters and one son. The period over which they ruled was one of the wealthiest in the history of ancient Egypt. A textbook from Coal Hill School Library stated that "some believe[d]" she ruled Egypt on her own after the death of her husband. (PROSE: A History of Humankind)

After the Eleventh Doctor rescued her people from a swarm of giant alien locusts, she grew extremely lustful for him. When the Doctor learned about news of a Silurian Ark in the future containing dinosaurs on its way towards Earth, she followed him into the TARDIS. Whilst on the ship, she quickly clashed with John Riddell; balking at his chauvinism, as she was used to being obeyed by everyone she met. However as the adventure continued, she found his adventurous spirit attractive, in comparison to her husband, whom she found dull.

When Solomon discovered Nefertiti's presence on the ship, he offered to allow the Doctor and his friends safe passage if they turned her over to him. Although the Doctor refused, Nefertiti willingly turned herself over to spare the others' lives. To her revulsion, Solomon quickly demonstrated to her that he saw her as a possession to be bartered and not as a person. When the Doctor came to free her, Nefertiti took the opportunity to pin Solomon to the ground in retaliation for his earlier treatment.

Upon the adventure's conclusion, she remained with Riddell in the 20th century African wilderness, (TV: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship) in 1902 to be exact. As such, her burial place was never identified and her mummy never found. The Doctor confessed that this made him responsible for Nefertiti's disappearance from human history. (PROSE: A History of Humankind)

Legacy[]

The Eleventh Doctor mentioned Queen Neffy in his diary when he wrote about the ark filled with dinosaurs. (PROSE: The Doctor's Diary [+]Moray Laing, The Official 50th Anniversary Annual (Penguin Group, 2013). Page 8.)

Fitz Kreiner met Antarctica when she was dressed as an Egyptian with a Nefertiti headdress. (PROSE: EarthWorld)

A bust of Nefertiti was present in the Erehwon. (TV: Smile)

Personality[]

As the queen of Egypt, Nefertiti was used to being obeyed and this caused her to clash with John Riddell, although during the adventure she became attracted to him. When the Doctor visited her in Egypt she grew lustful, partially because she found him attractive and partially because she was grateful to him for saving her people.

Nefertiti disliked disrespectful behaviour, threatening Riddell when he flirted with her by warning him that if they were in ancient Egypt he would be executed. Despite this, she was happy to allow the Doctor to nickname her "Nefi", and eventually became comfortable with Riddell, ultimately deciding to stay with him. Nefertiti hated being treated like an object, and pinned down Solomon aggressively when the Doctor came to rescue her.

The Time Lord noted that it was not a good idea to mess with the queen of Egypt. Despite being a queen, Nefertiti decided to stay in early 20th-century Africa with Riddell, suggesting she was slightly irresponsible since she had abandoned her people in ancient Egypt.

When she first met Amy, who said she was a big fan, she asked if she was also a queen. Nefertiti also proved very strong when she pinned Solomon down with his own weapons. (TV: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship)

Behind the scenes[]

  • In real ancient Egyptian history, Nefertiti disappeared without a trace from all records around 1330 BC.
  • In the first draft of Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, Nefertiti would have sacrificed herself to save the Doctor, who was intending to remain aboard Solomon's ship when the missiles struck, hence explaining her apparent disappearance from historical record. She survives in the broadcasted episode.[1]
  • Angel Coulby was originally offered the role.

External links[]

Footnotes[]

Advertisement