Lady Aberlin, niece of King Friday XIII, played by Betty Aberlin, is kind-hearted and empathetic, a caring friend to the puppets and people in Make-Believe. Lovely and loving, Lady Aberlin is a favorite of many.
When the characters are struggling, it’s Lady Aberlin they often turn to. She knows how important it is to talk about things when someone is upset, helping us understand their feelings – and our own. Through her interactions with her Make-Believe neighbors, Fred articulated one of his core Neighborhood messages, “Whatever is mentionable can be manageable.”
Her special relationship with Daniel Tiger provides some of the series most memorable moments. Watching their intimate, honest conversations, viewers forgot they were watching a person talking to a puppet. But they were actually watching Betty Aberlin and Fred Rogers caringly communicate.
Lady Aberlin shows a wide range of her own feelings, too. She gets frustrated and angry with her uncle the King when he’s unreasonable or makes outrageous demands. And she sometimes makes mistakes herself, understanding that in the ups and downs of everyday life, there’s room for mistakes and forgiveness.
A gifted singer and dancer, Lady Aberlin appears in every Neighborhood opera, bringing a special charm to her roles, whether she’s the romantic lead alongside Metropolitan Opera star John Reardon – or a cow in “Potato Bugs and Cows.”
On the last studio production day, noting that even puppets can age and Daniel might have been missing a whisker or two, Betty said, “It’s the spirit of those creations by Fred – that’s the real constancy. We hoped and believed that we could have a positive effect …. My part is to illustrate the best ways of interacting. We are modeling the most loving behavior.”
Betty Aberlin, is best known as Lady Aberlin in Make-Believe, but like the other human neighbors, she plays a role in Mister Rogers “real” neighborhood as well. As with the other cast members, Fred Rogers wanted her to use her real name and to draw on her own interests which was her love of the Arts. In addition to bringing ideas, songs, and friendship on her visits to Mister Rogers, she is also the manager of Betty’s Little Theater, where she introduces Mister Rogers and his viewers to musicians, magicians, dancers and actors through performances, improvisational theater and variety shows.
