Yet beneath her silver jewelry and heavy eye makeup, Magrat is surprisingly practical. She can defend herself physically when necessary, and is capable of performing impressive feats of real magic. Magrat's gentle personality allows her to serve as a mediator between the often-clashing Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, but she does occasionally displays a strong temper herself. In Witches Abroad Magrat was chosen to serve as a Fairy Godmother, but a defective wand (stuck on "pumpkins") prevented her from taking full advantage of the powers associated with this position. Magrat is technically a better doctor than the other two witches, since she actually believes in herbalism while Granny tends to use whatever plant or bottle of coloured water comes to hand as a prop for her headology (in this case the placebo effect).

After a long engagement, Magrat became Queen of Lancre by marrying King Verence II. As of Carpe Jugulum the couple has one daughter, Princess Esmerelda Margaret Note Spelling. This unusual name was the result of Magrat's attempt to correct a mistake made by her own mother, who had intended for Magrat to be named "Margaret" but was unable to spell the name properly when she wrote it down for the priest.

Magrat renounces witchcraft shortly before her marriage, partially to prepare for her duties as queen but mostly out of frustration with the way she is treated by the senior members of the Lancre coven. Her absence from Maskerade seemed to confirm that Magrat had retired from her career as a witch, but after Princess Esmerelda's birth she returns to assume the Mother role in the coven during a time of crisis in Lancre. Nanny is none too pleased with this development, as Magrat being the Mother forces Nanny to be..."the Other One".