Apailana was a female human who reigned as the Queen of Naboo, holding the position of monarch during both the concluding days of the Clone Wars and the initial days of the Galactic Empire. She became one of the youngest individuals elected to rule by the Naboo, taking over from Neeyutnee when she was only twelve years old.
Not long after the Clone Wars concluded, the young queen was present at the funeral for Senator Padmé Amidala, who had been a supporter of Apailana's election to the throne. Apailana did not accept the official explanation that Amidala had been assassinated by renegade Jedi.
Apailana's birth occurred around 32 BBY on the Mid Rim planet known as Naboo. As the Clone Wars were drawing to a close, Apailana was successfully elected to the position of queen of Naboo, succeeding Queen Neeyutnee. During her campaign to become queen, she received support from Senator Padmé Amidala, who represented the Chommell sector in the Galactic Senate. Amidala had also previously served as queen of Naboo for two terms, during which she defended the planet against the Trade Federation.
Although it was common for Naboo to choose young girls as their leaders, believing they possessed a pure, childlike wisdom absent in adults, Apailana was still one of the youngest monarchs ever to be elected, being only twelve years of age.
In 19 BBY, following the collapse of the Galactic Republic and the rise of the Galactic Empire, Apailana joined thousands of others in attending Amidala's funeral. Apailana participated in the procession alongside Amidala's family and former handmaidens such as Umé, who walked alongside her.
The official explanation for Amidala's death was that it was the fault of rogue Jedi and the supposed Jedi rebellion that triggered Order 66, but Apailana privately doubted this version of events. After the funeral, [Sabé](/article/sab%c3%a9], a former handmaiden of Amidala, admitted to herself that she was unsure how she could assist the new queen.
As the Imperial Era began, Apailana faced numerous challenges. She strived to maintain unity among her people under Imperial rule and to uphold her principles. She resisted becoming a puppet of Emperor Palpatine, prioritizing her duty to her people above all else.
A Braha'tok-class gunship called the Apailana's Promise served the Rebel Alliance during their struggle against the Galactic Empire.
Apailana's height was 1.57 meters, and she had [brown](/article/color] eyes and fair skin. At Amidala's funeral, she wore a headdress as a tribute to Amidala, along with makeup and, in accordance with Naboo tradition and like her predecessors, a scar of remembrance. She did not believe the Empire's false claims that the Jedi were responsible for Amidala's tragic death. Apailana possessed the qualities she valued in Naboo's leaders: a pure heart and unwavering commitment to the planet's peaceful values.
The mourning dress Apailana wore to Amidala's funeral included a purple underdress beneath a white-gold funeral gown with purple trim featuring the royal emblem. She also wore a feather-crested shiraya fan headdress adorned with mourning beads, symbolizing Naboo's tears.
Keisha Castle-Hughes, an Oscar-nominated actress from New Zealander, played Apailana in the 2005 film Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, which was the third and final movie in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.