We all knew she was coming at some point on the list, so we may as well get her out of the way now and end the anticipation! Right now, there is no higher-profile or more successful drag queen anywhere on the planet than RuPaul Charles. She's taken her career and turned it into a vehicle for super-stardom; so much so that she's been able to reach out and elevate other queens just by associating with them. She's the original drag queen star-maker, without whom the current scene would not be possible.
Charles started out in the New York underground clubbing scene, as part of a set of hedonistic artists known as the 'Club Kids.' She's been a successful pop star, she has her own range of cosmetics, and she's a widely published and read author. She'll be the first (and in some cases only) drag queen that the majority of the general public are able to name. In short, she's a one-woman industry, and she's the benchmark to which all others aspire.