All hail the queens

For two queens, Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin haven't been behaving very regally. The legendary ladies, who have somehow never met, have been lobbing barbs at each other recently over who deserves to wear the crown of "The Queen."

It all started earlier this year when Beyoncé introduced Turner at the Grammy Awards as "the queen." Franklin, long hailed as the Queen of Soul, was not amused. Let's go to the tape:

Franklin: "I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyoncé. However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy." (press statement)

Turner: "Aretha has always been like that. We've always accepted that from her. She's the queen of soul, and I'm the queen of rock 'n' roll. There were so many kings and queens there that night. Her ego must be so big to think she was the only one. That's how queens are!" (USA Today)

Franklin: "I never figured her to resort to tacky press just to sell a few tickets. I understand and I know that the concert market is down where ticket sales are concerned. I really had put her in a different class higher than that." (press statement)

Oh, snap!

So who really deserves the throne? Rolling Stone magazine declared its own winner in a way, by naming Franklin the best singer of the rock era in a new poll and cover story, but we'll stick to our own research. With Turner set to rock the TD Banknorth Garden tonight and tomorrow and Franklin's first holiday album, "This Christmas," now in stores, we compare their royal highnesses.