Queen tops Woman’s Hour power list

Kate Middleton fails to make it on the list as judges found her influential but not powerful just yet.

14:09 13 February 2013

Woman’s Hour power list, which was compiled and released by the BBC Radio 4 show, is intended to honour different women from different sectors who have achieved a lot and made a huge name for themselves.

The list was topped by the Queen, followed by Home Secretary Theresa May in second place. Santander UK CEO Ana Botin came in third. The fourth place was given to Supreme Court judge Baroness Brenda hale of Richmond while the founders of parenting website Mumsnet, Justine Roberts and Carrie Longton came in at 7th.

The top 20 includes business leaders, politicians, and civil servants. Among who made it to the top 20 are JK Rowling who bagged the 14th place and General Secretary of the TUC Frances O’Grady who came in at 12th.

One prominent name that did not make it on the list though was the Duchess of Cambridge. Although the judging panel considers her as influential, they think she is not powerful just yet. 

 

Eve Pollard, one of the judges, said: “Inevitably not everyone will agree with the 100 we have chosen. There are some omissions.

 

“For example, we had long debates about the Duchess of Cambridge. Is she influential? Hugely. Is she powerful? Not yet.

 

“Most women on our list were judged to have power because they had reached a place where they have control – of policy, of direction, of influence, of staff.

 

“The panel, a democratic group, also felt that we should include some women who have what we describe as ‘soft’ power – not hire and fire or innovative financial decisions but the ability to transform the way we think about ourselves.”