Some more recent research has other findings, but according to early twentieth century writers in 1932, an interregnum queen, is a Great Royal Wife of a previous pharaoh who rules as a regent in the place of her heir-son, who has not yet reached the age to solely assume the role of pharaoh of Egypt. Officially the young heir-son is assumed to be king, de jure, making, in theory, his mother a co-regent.

But, in practice, the interregnum queen rules in the place of the young male heir as sole ruler, until the heir-son reaches an age, sometimes as early as 9 years old, as in the case of Tutankhamun , when he could assume the duties of pharaoh alone.

Notes