Crown collected

Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig becomes Miss Universe

The new Miss Universe comes from Denmark. The 21-year-old Victoria Kjær Theilvig was allowed to collect her crown in Mexico City.(Bild: APA/AFP/CARL DE SOUZA)

The new Miss Universe comes from Denmark and is called Victoria Kjær Theilvig. At the 73rd edition of the beauty contest in Mexico City, the 21-year-old was chosen from a total of 127 candidates. 

The tiara was placed on her head by her predecessor Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua. 

Oldest "Miss" was 40
For the first time, there was no maximum age limit for participation after this was lifted by the organizers. Previously, only women between the ages of 18 and 28 were allowed to compete for the beauty crown.

Victoria Kjær Theilvig was able to prevail against 126 competitors.(Bild: APA/AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

The oldest competitor in the Arena Ciudad de México was the Cameroon-born Miss Malta, Beatrice Njoya, who is 40 years old and has three children.

More inclusion at beauty pageant
The competition, which has been held since 1952, has taken steps towards more inclusion in recent years.

For the first time, women older than 28 were allowed to take part in the Miss Universe competition. However, the 21-year-old Danish woman was crowned the winner.(Bild: APA/Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

A year ago, married and divorced women as well as mothers were admitted for the first time, and in 2018 Miss Spain was the first trans woman to take part.