The Queen of Hearts debuted as the main antagonist in Walt Disney Productions' 1951 animated feature film Alice in Wonderland, loosely adapted from Lewis Carroll's works, with her voice provided by Verna Felton. She is portrayed as a short, pompous monarch with an exaggeratedly large head disproportionate to her body, black hair fashioned into a heart-shaped style, pale skin, and a stern expression. Dressed in a voluminous gown of red, black, and gold with prominent heart motifs, white collar, and a small golden crown, she rules Wonderland tyrannically alongside her timid husband, the King of Hearts, commanding an army of anthropomorphic playing cards.

The Queen's personality is defined by extreme irritability, authoritarianism, and a penchant for arbitrary punishments, most famously expressed through her repeated cry of "Off with their heads!" She demands absolute obedience, ordering her card soldiers to repaint white roses red after a planting error and hosting a rigged croquet game using flamingos as mallets and hedgehogs as balls, where she cheats unabashedly to avoid losing. Her volatile temper escalates when challenged, leading her to target Alice for perceived slights and orchestrate a sham trial.

Throughout the film, the Queen undergoes no substantial character development, embodying static comedic villainy rooted in absurdity and unchecked power, with her threats often blunted by the surreal nature of Wonderland. In the climax, her court descends into chaos during Alice's trial, underscoring her ineffectual despotism in the dream world. The character has since appeared in other Disney media, including the Kingdom Hearts video game series (voiced by Tress MacNeille), House of Mouse episodes, and various theme park attractions, reinforcing her enduring legacy as one of Disney's classic temperamental villains.