Harold says that the Queen became the strongest piece in chess after Queen Isabella of Spain played and was insulted by the piece's weakness, supposedly asking her Advisors if they thought she was as "feeble". In response the Queen's moves were changed to please her.
This is entirely fictional and a little insulting.
Firstly, when chess was invented in India they named the pieces of a war game after the forces that were used in war, the Queen was a relatively new name for the piece so it's abilities were in no way a social commentary.
Secondly, the Queen wasn't much different to the King in that neither of them could move more than one square at a time. This was because the Queen piece was the Advisor and needed to be protected and stay near the King/commander of the army.
Thirdly, Isabella was a great chess player and had better things to do than take offence over the name of a game piece.
The Queen's moves were changed during Isabella's reign to reflect her strength and power, but that was a choice that she inspired rather than demanded.
Harold says he hates chess because it was invented when life was cheap and some people were seen as worth less than others, "Kings and pawns...". Harold is wrong on all points.
Chess is a simulated war, the pieces are troops, set up in battle formation and used as a real army would be on a battlefield.
What we now call the King was a General, who like many commanders directed from behind the army and obviously didn't move around the battlefield much. It is not a more important piece, the game ends when it is captured because an army can't fight without a commander. The piece now called the Queen was his Adviser, who moved just as little. The pawns were Infantry, footsoldiers who move slower and aren't as strong in battle. The rooks, knights etc were cavalry (and elephants), who move quicker and are stronger in battle. That isn't a class system, or valuing one life less than another, it's just realistic.
What we now call the King was a General, who like many commanders directed from behind the army and obviously didn't move around the battlefield much. It is not a more important piece, the game ends when it is captured because an army can't fight without a commander. The piece now called the Queen was his Adviser, who moved just as little. The pawns were Infantry, footsoldiers who move slower and aren't as strong in battle. The rooks, knights etc were cavalry (and elephants), who move quicker and are stronger in battle. That isn't a class system, or valuing one life less than another, it's just realistic.