King of Wands tarot card meaning: upright, reversed and symbols

The King of Wands sits on a throne decorated with lions and salamanders, holding a flowering staff and looking out to the side as if he can already see what is coming.

He is the leader of the fire suit: visionary, bold and determined. Here is what the King of Wands means upright and reversed, the symbols in the 1909 card and how to read him as a person or as an energy.

Here is the King of Wands at a glance.

Waite’s King corresponds to the Golden Dawn’s Prince. The Prince of Wands is the Prince of the Chariot of Fire, Air of Fire, on Tiphareth, ruling from 20° Cancer to 20° Leo. Crowley kept the title Prince in the Thoth deck. Many modern books instead make the King fire and the Knight air, so expect different pairings in other guides.

The card: what Pamela Colman Smith drew

Waite described the King’s nature as “dark, ardent, lithe, animated, impassioned, noble”, and wrote that “the King uplifts a flowering wand” and “connects with the symbol of the lion, which is emblazoned on the back of his throne.” Smith also put a small living salamander at his feet.

The flowering wand. His staff is in leaf like every wand in the suit. His power is alive and creative, not just official.

The lions and salamanders. The throne carries lions and salamanders. Lions are courage and leadership, salamanders are fire itself. His robe and throne say that he has mastered his element.

Looking to the side. He does not face us. He looks off toward something only he can see. That is vision: the ability to see a future and lead people toward it.

Upright meaning

Upright, the King of Wands is vision with authority. He sits on a throne decorated with lions and salamanders and looks into the distance, as if already seeing what comes next. He has mastered fire, which means he can turn energy into direction for himself and for others.

He is a natural leader, often entrepreneurial, and he inspires people by believing in the future so strongly that others start to believe too. In readings he asks you to take charge of your vision, set a direction and make decisions with confidence. He does not wait for permission.

The small salamander at his feet is a reminder that fire is still alive in him. He is not cold authority. He leads by example, with energy and courage.

Reversed meaning

Reversed, the King of Wands can show the darker side of authority: impatience, arrogance, a temper or the expectation that everyone should follow his lead without question. He can also become a leader who has many visions and no follow-through.

Ask whether your leadership leaves room for others. A reversed King often needs to listen as much as he speaks, and to finish one plan before announcing another.

In love, work and spirituality

In love. Upright: A passionate, confident partner who knows what they want. Reversed: Controlling behavior, or a partner who dominates decisions.

At work. Upright: Leadership, entrepreneurship, setting strategy and inspiring a team. Reversed: Overbearing management, or vision without execution.

With money. Upright: Bold, visionary investment backed by experience. Reversed: Risk taken out of ego.

In spiritual practice. Upright: Leading a circle or teaching from your experience. Reversed: Spiritual authority used to control others.

As feelings. Strong attraction and respect. They want to lead the relationship forward.

As a person. A visionary, confident leader who inspires others and takes charge naturally.

As advice. Lead with vision, and bring others with you.

Reading the King of Wands: positions and yes or no

In the past position: A bold leader, or your own leadership, shaped where you are. In the present position: Take charge with vision. People are ready to follow.

In the future position: A time of leadership or a strong mentor is coming. As advice: Set the direction, then listen.

In modern yes or no readings, the King of Wands leans yes. His determination points to yes.

The king in the tarot court, and the history behind the card

Kings hold the outward mastery of the suit. In the fire suit that means the ability to turn passion into a plan that other people can follow.

Here is how the King looks across the four suits:

• King of Wands (this card): leadership, vision, determination
• King of Cups: emotional balance, diplomacy, wisdom
• King of Swords: authority, truth, intellectual power
• King of Pentacles: wealth, abundance, leadership

When A. E. Waite published The Pictorial Key to the Tarot in 1910, he listed these divinatory meanings for the King of Wands: “Dark man, friendly, countryman, generally married, honest and conscientious. The card always signifies honesty, and may mean news concerning an unexpected heritage to fall in before very long.”

Reversed, he gave: “Good, but severe; austere, yet tolerant.”

Common questions

Is the King of Wands a yes or no card? It leans yes. He is decisive and forward-looking.

Who is the King of Wands as a person? Often a confident, charismatic leader or entrepreneur with big ideas. Court cards can describe any gender.

What does the King of Wands mean in love? A passionate, committed partner who takes the lead. Reversed, controlling or impatient behavior.

Try this

Try this small spread for the King of Wands. Use it when you need to take the lead.

Affirmation: I lead with vision, determination, and responsibility for impact.

Reversed affirmation: I drop overbearing force and let vision stay accountable.

If you keep a tarot journal, take one of these questions to it: What future can I see that others cannot yet? Where could I lead instead of waiting to be led? How do I listen while I lead?

What next

Cards that sit close to this one are The Emperor (the Major Arcana card of structure and authority), Queen of Wands (his partner on the fire throne) and King of Pentacles (the earth King, leading through steady resources).

The King of Wands is part of the lesson Meet the court in my free Tarot for Beginners course. To see the whole suit on one page, go to the suit of Wands. To keep walking the suit, read the card before it, Queen of Wands, or go back to all the card meanings.

For more on the court, see Tarot court cards without confusion. For every card with keywords, affirmations and examples, see my book The Novice’s Guide to Tarot. If you would like a printable cheat sheet for all 78 cards, my 45-page Tarot Workbook is on Etsy.

Sources

• A. E. Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (London: Rider, 1910), Part III, sections 1 and 2.
• Pamela Colman Smith and A. E. Waite, the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot (London: Rider, 1909).
• Nicolas Conver, Tarot de Marseille (Marseille, 1760).
• Lauri Mukkala, The Novice’s Guide to Tarot, entry for the King of Wands.
• Aleister Crowley, 777 (London: Walter Scott, 1909), columns of the decans, the Minor Arcana and the court cards.
• Israel Regardie, ed., The Golden Dawn (Chicago: Aries Press, 1937 to 1940), “Book T”, titles and attributions of the small cards and the court.