Padmé Amidala was introduced in Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace as the Queen of Naboo. But if you listen closely, the way royalty works on Naboo is fascinating and makes Padmé’s age in Episode 1 quite the shock.
Changing her name to Amidala as part of her regal name, Padmé Naberrie (Natalie Portman) was only a teenager when she took on the title of Queen of Naboo—or the Monarch of Naboo. She was far from the first queen, and it was often younger women who took on the position. At the time we meet her in The Phantom Menace, Portman’s take on Padmé is 14 years old.
I knew this, but I was also a child who thought that was really cool when The Phantom Menace came out. According to Wookiepedia, the reason behind electing younger women to rule is that the people of Naboo believe “they possessed a form of pure, childlike wisdom that the adults lacked.” The Monarch of Naboo can also serve for 2 years with the ability to be reelected for one more term after that.
We know that Jamillia, who served after Padmé, was seemingly a few years older. Ayesha Dharker, who played her, is 3 years older than Natalie Portman, but there is no listed age for Jamillia as a character. But, in theory, anyone can rule in Naboo at any age. They just, more often than not, chose younger women to take on that power.
Naboo knew what was up
As we embarked on the prequels with Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padmé, it gave us the chance to see how Padmé grew into the leader we knew her to be. It is why, when Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) went on to become a senator, many pointed out that she was following in her mother’s footsteps. But seeing a 14-year-old Padmé grow from a queen to the only one willing to call out the fall of democracy under Palpatine, it shows that Naboo was onto something.
That something is that women know how to rule, but hey, I don’t want to get too preachy. I am just speaking the facts. If we look to Star Wars, the franchise has often said that women are great rulers. If only America would listen.
But to answer the question: Padmé was 14 years old when she was the Queen of Naboo, and don’t you forget it.
(featured image: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
