The Gopikas of Vrindavana are the incarnations of the Apsara Strees. These Apsara Strees are the celestial damsels of Svarga, who had done severe penance to come into contact with Krishna. They worship Krishna/Vishnu as their husband. And Lord Vishnu is the niyata pati for them. Like how, whenever Lord Vishnu incarnates, Lakshmidevi is His wife in every avatara. This is ‘Lakshmi being the niyata patni to Lord Vishnu and Lord Vishnu being the Niyata pati to Lakshmidevi.’ So, like this, Lord Vishnu accepts the Apsara strees as His wives only when they have Lakshmidevi’s presence in them. These Apsara Strees have their own way of worshipping Lord Vishnu through Kaamuka Bhakti. And only they have the right to worship Lord Vishnu like that.
[SriGopijanaVallabha SriKrishna]
So, these Apsara Strees had incarnated as the Gopikas in Vrindavana. These Gopikas too had the presence of Lakshmidevi within them. Krishna doesn’t touch anyone if they don’t have Lakshmi’s presence in them. Krishna is a patnivrata; that’s why whoever married Krishna was either Lakshmidevi Herself or had Lakshmidevi’s presence within them. There is a difference between being Lakshmidevi Herself and having Lakshmidevi’s presence. The Gopikas + the other queens of Dwaraka, except SriRukmini Devi and SriSatyabhama Devi, had the presence of Lakshmidevi within them. Whereas Rukmini Devi and Satyabhama Devi are Svayam Lakshmidevi themselves. Rukmini Devi is Sri roopi Mahalakshmi Devi, whereas Satyabhama Devi is Bhu roopi Mahalakshmi Devi. This Bhu roopi Mahalakshmi Devi is different from Bhudevi (mother earth). Mother Earth has the presence of this Bhu roopi Mahalakshmidevi or Bhudevi.
[SriBhaishmi Saatraajiti Devi Sameta SriKrishna Paramatma]
Krishna also married Niladevi in the Bhagavatam, even before His Upanayana Samskaara in Vraja. This Niladevi was the daughter of Yashoda’s brother Kumbhaka, who had done penance to be the first wife of Lord Krishna, before His Upanayana. So, Krishna married her and fulfilled her wish. This Niladevi then merged with the Niladevi whom Krishna married later after marrying Rukmini, Satyabhama, and Jambavati. The Puranas also state that the Gopis had Lakshmidevi’s presence in them.
एवं शशाङ्कांशुविराजिताः निशाः स सत्यकामोऽनुरताबलागणः ।
रमे रमेशो ब्रजसुन्दरीभिः यथार्भकः स्वप्रतिबिम्बविभ्रमः ॥
Thus, during those autumn nights illuminated by the brilliant rays of the moon, Śrī Kṛṣṇa—the Lord of Goddess Ramā (Rameśa), whose desires are inherently fulfilled (Satyakāma)—sported spiritually with the beautiful maidens of Vraja who were deeply devoted to Him, just as an innocent young child plays delightfully with his own reflection.
[SrimadBhagavatam, 10.33]
SriMadhvacharya, in the Bhagavata Tatparya Nirnaya writes the commentory to this shloka as:
रेमे रमेशो ब्रजसुन्दरीभिरित्यत्र रमा-आवेश एवोच्यते ।
न हि रमापतिः विष्णुः अन्याभिः रमते क्वचित् ॥
In the verse stating 'Ramesha enjoyed with the beautiful maidens of Vraja', it is explicitly declared that Ramā-Avesha (the divine presence/possession of Lakshmi) was present within them. Indeed, Vishnu, the Lord of Ramā, never enjoys or sports with any woman other than Lakshmi.
[SriMadhvacharya’s Bhagavata Tatparya Nirnaya]
गोप्यस्तु मानुषाः सर्वाः तासु विष्टा परा रमा ।
तस्माद् गोपालरूपेण स रेमे श्रीपतिः प्रभुः ॥
The Gopis externally appeared as human women, but within them had entered (viṣṭā) the supreme Goddess Ramā (Lakshmi). Therefore, the Lord of Sri (Krishna), in the form of a cowherd boy, sported with them.
[Tantra Bhagavata]
गोपिकानां तु सर्वासां शरीरेषु महामते ।
लक्ष्मीसान्निध्यमभवत् कृष्णक्रीडार्थमेव च ॥
O high-minded sage, within the physical forms of all the Gopikas, the Sannidhana (direct divine presence) of Goddess Lakshmi manifested, exclusively for Lord Krishna's divine sports (Lila).
दिव्यस्त्रीणामप्सरसां सान्निध्यं श्रीश्चकार ह ।
तस्मात् तासु रमेशोऽसौ रेमे न त्वन्यकान्तया ॥
Goddess Śrī (Lakshmi) established Her Sannidhana (presence) within those celestial Apsara women. Therefore, the Lord of Ramā (Ramesha) sported only with Her presence within them, and never with an independent worldly woman.
गोप्यस्तु द्विविधा प्रोक्ता देवकन्याश्च मानुषीः ।
तत्र या देवकन्यास्ता अप्सरसो द्विजसत्तम ॥
The Gopikas are known to be of two primary divisions: the Deva-kanyas (heavenly maidens) and the Manushis (human/earthly maidens). Among them, the best of the twice-born Deva-kanyas are none other than the Apsaras.
अप्सरसः समस्तास्तु कृष्णदर्शनलालसाः ।
गोपिकात्वं गता भूमौ लब्ध्वा सान्निध्यमच्युते ॥
All those Apsaras who were intensely desirous of beholding ŚrīKṛṣṇa took up the status of Gopikas (Gopikatvam) upon the Earth, thereby attaining the direct, sacred presence (Saannidhya) of Lord Achyuta.
[Padma Purana]
[Image of SriRukmini Krishna at Tirumala Tirupati]
So, in conclusion, I would like to say that all the Gopikas who played Raasakreeda with SriKrishna Paramatma are the incarnations of Apsara Strees and had the presence of Lakshmi Devi within them, due to which they could play Raasakreeda with Krishna. Or else, Lord Krishna, the husband of Ramaa Devi, doesn’t sport with any other woman except Lakshmidevi. Talking about the queens of Dwaraka, out of that SriRukmini Devi and SriSatyabhama Devi are Saakshaat Mahalakshmi Devi themselves, and the rest of the queens had the presence of Lakshmi Devi within them. These queens were formerly the sons of Agni, who had performed severe penance to obtain SriKrishna as their husband. As the fruit of that penance, they were born as women, and after Krishna killed Narakāsura and liberated them from his captivity, He accepted them as His wives. Of those queens, Jambavati had a greater presence of Lakshmi compared to the other mahishis of Krishna.
Hope this helps!
Jay SriRam!
SriRamaaramana SriKrishnarpanamastu!