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Miss Denmark Victoria Kjær Theilvig is Miss Universe 2024. Image from Instagram / Miss Denmark
The most beautiful day in the universe has concluded with a new queen, Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjær Theilvig from Denmark.
Theilvig bested 124 other aspirants from different countries and territories around the world in ceremonies held at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico, on Nov. 16 (Nov. 17 in Manila). She also made history as the first Danish queen to bring home the Miss Universe crown.
The new queen inherited her title from Sheynnis Palacios, who became the first Nicaraguan woman to be crowned Miss Universe in last year’s competition.
Chidimma Adetshina of Nigeria settled for the first runner-up spot, while Maria Fernanda Beltran of Mexico was second runner-up.
Opal Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand, and Ileana Marquez Pedroza of Venezuela finished as third and fourth runners-up, respectively.
Chelsea Manalo representing the Philippines in Miss Universe 2024 | Image: Instagram/@themissuniverseph
The Philippines’ Chelsea Manalo advanced to the Top 30 of the competition, but failed to make it to the Top 12. She is the first black woman to represent the country in Miss Universe, and holds a Tourism Management degree from the De La Salle Araneta University. She has been modeling since she was a teenager.
Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark is the new Miss Universe queen, succeeding Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.
Theilvig is also the first Miss Universe queen to wear the Philippine-made crown which debuted in this year’s competition, the “Lumière de l’Infini” (Light of Infinity) crown, which is provided by luxury jewelry maker Jewelmer crafted by Filipinos using south sea pearls from Palawan.
Prior to her Miss Universe stint, Theilvig was a Top 20 finalist in the 2022 Miss Grand International pageant held in Indonesia.
This year’s competition marked the first staging of the pageant under the shared ownership of JKN Global Group of Thailand and Legacy Holdings of Mexico.
The 125-strong roster is also the biggest haul of delegates for the pageant, with the previous record at 94 in the 2018 competition won by Catriona Gray from the Philippines.
Aside from Gray, the other former Miss Universe winners from the Philippines were Gloria Diaz (1969), Margie Moran (1973), and Pia Wurtzbach (2015).