MANILA, Philippines – Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark is the new Miss Universe!

Theilvig bested 124 women from all around the world to become the 73rd Miss Universe during the finals night held in Mexico on Sunday, November 17 (Philippine time). The rest of the runners-up are:

• 1st runner-up: Chidimma Adetshina, Nigeria
• 2nd runner-up: María Fernanda Beltrán, Mexico
• 3rd runner-up: Suchata Chuangsri, Thailand
• 4th runner-up: Ileana Márquez, Venezuela

Last year’s winner, Nicaragua’s Sheynnis Palacios, passed on her crown to the new Miss Universe.

Theilvig made history as the first Danish woman to win the Miss Universe crown, and the most recent winner from the European continent after France’s Iris Mittenaere in Miss Universe 2016.

The top 5 queens survived two rounds of question and answer portion. During the first round, Theilvig was given the question, “How would you live your life differently if you knew nobody would judge you?”

“I would never change how I live my life. We learn from our mistakes. We learn every day. We learn something new and we got to take that and bring it to the future. That’s why I live each day by each day, and I just got to stay positive. So, no, I would not change nothing,” the new Miss Universe winner said in response. 

In the final question and answer round, the final five were given the same question, “Miss Universe has inspired generations of women. What is your message to the ones watching you right now?”

This was Theilvig’s answer: “My message to all the world that is watching out there is no matter where you come from, no matter your past, you can always choose to turn it into your strengths. It will never define who you are. Just got to keep fighting. I stand here today because I want to change. I want to make history. And that’s what I’m doing tonight. So never give up, always believe in yourself and your dreams, and that is exactly what we are going to do.” 

Theilvig is also the first winner to wear the Philippine-made “Lumière de l’Infini” (The Light of Infinity) Miss Universe crown. The crown was crafted in partnership between the Miss Universe organization and esteemed Filipino jewelry brand Jewelmer.

Theilvig is also the latest full blonde winner since Miss Universe 2004 Jennifer Hawkins of Australia. Courtesy of her Theilvig’s win, Denmark now has two major crowns: Miss Universe and Miss Earth. 

Denmark first won its major crown after Catharina Svensson was named as the first Miss Earth winner in 2001. 

The new Miss Universe is also the third winner under the leadership of Thai businesswoman Anne Jakrajutatip, who took over the Miss Universe organization in 2022.

Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo ended her journey in the top 30, but continued the Philippines’ two-year streak in the pageant after Michelle Dee’s top 10 finish last year.

Established in 1952, Miss Universe is among the most prestigious pageants in the world and belongs to the so-called “Big 4.” These pageants are Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International, and Miss Earth.

The most recent editions of Miss Earth and Miss International saw Jessica Lane of Australia, blonde like Theilvig; and Huỳnh Thị Thanh Thủy of Vietnam win the crowns for those pageants, respectively. Like Theilvig’s win marking the first time Denmark won the Miss Universe contest, Thanh Thủy’s win marked a first for Vietnam, giving the country its first Miss International crown. – With reports from Juno Reyes, Steph Arnaldo/Rappler.com