More than 120 women from countries across the world partook Saturday night in the 2024 Miss Universe pageant in Mexico City. But just one won the whole shebang: 21-year-old Victoria Theilvig of Denmark.
As the pageant played out over three-plus hours of competition, the field was narrowed first to 30 national titleholders in the swimsuit round. Based on the state of their bikinis (or one-pieces, for those who dared not to bare), 12 contestants were selected by judges to show off frothy, bedazzled evening gowns; Robin Thicke popped up at the piano at this point, but we don’t need to dwell on that.
From there, just five finalists dealt with the Q&A round before the verdict came in and the crown was, well, crowned.
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After Theilvig, Miss Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina placed as first runner-up, ahead of Mexico’s María Fernanda Beltrán, Thailand’s Suchata Chuangsri and Venezuela’s Ileana Márquez.
Adetshina’s participation in the Miss Universe pageant had been the source of some controversy. She had originally sought to compete in the Miss South Africa pageant, before a racially-charged pressure campaign contesting her eligibility saw her drop out (and later enter the Miss Nigeria pageant, which she won). Mia Le Roux, the winner of Miss South Africa, dropped out of the Miss Universe competition just a few days ago, citing “health concerns.”
Theilvig takes over from the 2023 Miss Universe, Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua. Palacios' reign was complicated, to say the least, after allegations that she had been involved in anti-government protests in her country while a student.
The 2024 Miss USA, Alma Cooper of Michigan, did not land a place as a semi-finalist—the first time USA missed out in more than a decade.
