What they mean together
The Empress adds abundance and tenderness to the union of The Lovers. Few combinations are this lovely for love. It's a relationship that blossoms and bears fruit.
In love
Love that's returned, desire, and shared excitement. Some readers take it as a sign of pregnancy or a big step as a couple.
Career and money
Pleasant, creative collaborations. You do well working with people you click with.
An example
Let's say you ask how a relationship that just started will develop, and The Empress and The Lovers come up. It's a very warm spread. What you have is real and has everything it needs to grow. Enjoy it without pressure, take care of the little things, and let trust settle in. If you've been together a while, it can mean a new boost, like a shared project or something you're both excited about.
By position in the spread
In the past
You had a much-loved relationship that taught you what it feels like to be cared for. It still shapes what you look for today.
In the present
Love is fertile and generous right now. What you plant now, in gestures and in words, has every chance of blooming.
In the future
A union that grows, a big step as a couple, or a new arrival in the family. What's coming is happy and full of affection.
If they come up reversed
If The Empress is reversed, affection can turn into dependence or neglecting yourself. With The Lovers upside down, there are doubts or one person gives much more than the other. With both reversed the excitement is there, but it needs more give and take to hold up.
Let your affection show in the small things.
Frequently asked questions
Do The Empress and The Lovers mean pregnancy?
Traditionally this pair is linked to fertility and family. Even so, take it as a symbolic tendency, not a literal prediction.
What do The Empress and The Lovers mean if I'm single?
It's a good sign. You're open to love and to very tender encounters. If you treat yourself well, you'll attract people who treat you well too.
To read them separately, here is the meaning of The Empress and of The Lovers. And if they came up in a three card spread, look at the position each one landed in too.