Love is like a butterfly (according to Dolly Parton) but the Emperor is like a Parliamentary Private Secretary – rather serious, efficient and not particularly romantic. Don't get me wrong The Emperor is a very useful chap, he's just not much of a cuddle bunny. The Emperor is about power, he encourages us to take responsibility for our actions and choices. He also asks us to use our common sense regarding relationships. He often appears when a relationship is profound and traditional rather than fleeting, he is not a 'friendship with benefits' kind of guy. The Emperor can exert authority over our moral codes and so his appearance can point to some moral issue surrounding your love interest. He can imply that you could find others questioning your choice of mate and you may have to be strong enough to face that criticism. Alternatively, it might be your other half who is set on a course of action you find dubious, if so, you might need to speak your mind.

The Emperor often represents an older person, frequently someone who is well established in their career. The flip side of this is that he can suggest that the other person in your life struggles to display their emotions, they may have deep feelings but somehow they just can't express them very well. At their worst someone represented by The Emperor can be egotistical, dominant, bossy and a bit of a bully with little sympathy for the failings of others.

Pat Benatar sang Love is a Battlefield, but do we really have to be so negative? Well, when the Emperor appears reversed you may not be at war but there seems to be something of a power struggle going on in your relationship. You just don't seem able to see each other's point of view and this is acting as a damper on your ability to communicate and your personal interactions could suffer.

The Emperor can suggest that you are attracted to a domineering partner and there is a risk that you could hand too much power over to them and risk losing your own identity. Equally, you or your partner may struggle to connect emotionally thus potentially making your relationship cold and distant.

Single souls need to consider how they relate to others, are you too willing to please or perhaps you don't connect emotionally with others very easily.