Which gal in the world right now has the most power and influence herself – meaning not by virtue of her male relations (so no Michelle Obamas or puppeteering moms of powerful men)? The Queen of England? My understanding is that she’s more a figurehead than an actual politician/ruler. Angela Merkel?
Yeah, the Queen doesn’t have much power really. If we’re looking at politicians, perhaps Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff would be in the running?
I’m sure Oprah thinks SHE is.
Definitely Angela Merkel.
Hillary would probably if and when she becomes Prez. For now, though, she is sort of an also-ran.
Currently? Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany. Yes/No? You asked for most powerful…
Merkel
To expand:
Merkel is the most powerful person in all of Europe right now. She may be the 2nd most powerful person in the world behind the US president.
With reference to Angela Merkel, this brings up the whole question as to how much power leaders of democracies really have–there are so many checks and balances.
But doesn’t anyone remember the charges of her phone being tapped by the NSA? Would the NSA actually tap the phone of someone who had that much power and was presumably friendly toward the U.S. and who could turn against the U.S. if the tapping was discovered?
merkel and janet yellen.
two most powerful people, not just women, that most americans wouldn t recognize if they ran into them at the checkout lane
Wealth is one form of power, and J. K. Rowling is the wealthiest woman in the world.
But Merkel is probably the better answer.
Most powerful woman in the world? Why it’s Kati Luoto.
As you can see, it all depends on how you define “powerful.” 
I’ve got pretty big and strong hands for a woman.
I think it may be a tie between Merkel and Yellen.
This ↑↑↑
Peng Liyuan.
Huh? J.K. Rowling’s estimated net worth is only a tiny fraction of Christy Walton’s.
J. K. Rowling isn’t even the wealthiest woman in the world who made most of her money in the entertainment business. Oprah Winfrey is. There are a couple of other women in the entertainment business who are even richer, but, in addition to their work in the entertainment business, they inherited or married into big money.
Gina Rinehart has an enormous amount of wealth and influence in Australian society. At one point it was predicted she would become the world’s wealthiest individual - any ambitions in that regard have probably been squashed by challenges to control of the family trust brought by some of her children.
I think Steve Jobs’s widow and at least one of the Mars family multi-billionaires way outrank J.K. Rowling as well. There’s an Australian mining heiress who is in the 10s of billions as well.