10 Miss World Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

Miss World is the oldest beauty pageant in the history and it is still going strong. Being one of the biggest and most popular event of the year, it grabs media attention around the world. It is a prestigious event, for which many people wait round the year. Let’s take a look at 10 Amazing Miss World Facts That You Probably Didn’t Know.

10. Dethroned/Resigned Winners

Helen Morgan and Gabriella Brum
The pageant has its share of shocking moments. Throughout history, it remains the only one of the major international pageants with two winners resigned or dethroned. One of the first shocking moment came up in 1974 – UK’s Helen Morgan was crowned Miss World 1974 (24th Edition). But, she resigned four days later on discovery that she had a child.

The next one came in 1980 – Germany’s Gabriella Brum was crowned Miss World 1980 (30th Editon). Brum resigned after 18 hours of her reign. Initially claiming her boyfriend’s disapproval, and later stating media pressures regarding nude pictures of her as the reasons. We would really like the organization to take the bigger step and take a broader stand beyond the fact that a winner is a mother or a transgender or has appeared nude at some point of her life. What matters is the fact that to know her point of view to life and what changes she intends to bring to the world with her reign.

9. Miss World Facts – Most Wins

Ivian Sarcos Venezuela
India hold the most Miss World title holders – 6 winners. The first Indian crowned Miss World was Reita Faria in 1966, followed by Aishwariya Rai in 1994, Diana Haydon in 1997, Yukta Mookhey in 1999, Priyanka Chopra in 2000 and now Manushi Chhillar in 2017.

Venezuela is the second with most wins in the pageant’s history with a total of six wins. It started its winning streak in the year 1955 (5th Edition) and has continued with the years 1981 (31st Edition), 1984 (34th Edition), 1991 ($1st Edition), 1995 (45th Edition). Its latest win came in the year 2011 (61st Edition). The winners in chronological order are Susana Duijm, Pilín León, Astrid Herrera, Ninibeth Leal, Jacqueline Aguilera and Ivian Sarcos.

8. Oldest & Youngest Winner Miss World

Aneta Kręglicka of Poland
The oldest winner so far has been Aneta Kręglicka of Poland who won the title in the year 1989 (39th Edition). She was 24 years 244 days old at the time of her win. The youngest winner has been Wilnelia Merced of Puerto Rico, who won the title in the year 1975 (25th Edition). She was 18 years 39 days at the time of her win.

7. Most & Least Delegates

miss world 2013
The number of delegates varies from year to year. The year which saw the least number of countries participating in the event was the year 1952 (2nd Edition). The winner for this year was May Louise Flodin of Sweden. The year which saw the most number of participating countries was the year 2013, were a whopping number of 127 countries participated. This year saw the win of Megan Young from Philippines.

6. Biggest & Smallest Gap

yukta mookhey and priyanka chopra
There have been many instances when a country has won more than once. What is interesting is the time interval between the wins of a single country. The longest gap between two wins by a country is by Peru. In 1967 (17th Edition), Madeline Hartog-Bel  of Peru was crowned the winner, and after a gap of 37 years, in 2004 (54th Edition), María Julia Mantilla of Peru won the title.

The record for the shortest gap is shared between three countries – In 1951 (1st Edition) and 1952 (2nd Edition), Sweden’s Kerstin Håkansson and May-Louise Flodin were crowned respectively; in 1964 (14th Edition) and 1965 (15th Edition), UK’s Ann Sidney and  Lesley Langley won the title respectively and in 1999 (49th Edition) and 2000 (50th Edition), India’s Yukta Mookhey and Priyanka Chopra became Miss World respectively.

5. Win At Home Country

Miss World 2012 and Miss World 2007
So far, seven winners have been crowned in their home country. In 1961 (11th Edition), UK’s Rosemarie Frankland ; in 1964 ,(14th Edition) UK’s Ann Sidney; in 1965 (15th Edition), UK’s Lesley Langley, in 1974 (24th Edition), UK’s Helen Morgan and in 1983 (33rd Edition), UK’s Sarah-Jane Hutt were all crowned in UK. In 2007 (57th Edition), China’s Zhang Zilin and in 2012 (62nd Edition), China’s Yu Wenxia were crowned in China.

4. Longest & Shortest Reign

Miss World 2012 with Continental Queens
Since Miss World event does not take place on the same date every year, therefore, not all the winners get the exact same time of reign. The longest reign by a winner in the pageant’s history has been by Sweden’s Kerstin Håkansson, who won in 1951 (1st Edition) on 29 July 1951 and crowned her successor on 14 November 1952. In other words, she reigned for 1 year, 3 months, 16 days. The shortest reign so far by a winner has been by Venezuela’s Ivian Sarcos , who won in the year 2011 (61st Edition) on 6 November 2011 and crowned her successor on 18th august, 2012. In other words, she reigned for 9 months, 12 days.

3. The Firsts (Miss World)

Miss World 2001 Crowning Moment
Some winners apart from winning the crown also set some records – Sweden’s Kerstin Håkansson became the first European to win the title when she became Miss World 1951 (1st Edition). Egypt’s Antigone Costanda became the first African and the first from a Muslim-dominated country to win Miss World Title, when she became Miss World 1954 (4th Edition). Venezuela’s  Susana Duijm became the first Latin-American and the first from Americas to win Miss World Title, when she became Miss World 1955 (5th Edition). Jamaica’s  Carole Joan Crawford became the first Caribbean to win Miss World, when she became Miss World 1963 (13th Edition).

India’s Reita Faria became the first Asian to win Miss World Title, when she became Miss World 1966 (16th Edition). Poland’s  Aneta Kreglicka became the first Eastern European to win Miss World Title, when she became Miss World 1989 (39th Edition). Nigeria’s Agbani Darego is the first Black African to win Miss World Title, she became Miss World 2001 (51st Edition). And, China’s Zhang Zilin the first Miss World of East Asian origin, when she won Miss World 2007 (57th Edition).

2. Winners Who Won Sub-Titles

Ksenia Sukhinova Miss World 2008
There have been some winners throughout the history of the pageant, who alongside winning the main crown, have won several sub-titles too. China’s Zhang Zilin of (Miss World 2007, 57th Edition), Russia’s Ksenia Sukhinova (Miss World 2008, 58th Edition) and Philippines’ Megan Young (Miss World 2013, 63rd Edition) won Miss World Top Model.

Ireland’s Rosanna Davison (Miss World 2003, 53rd Edition) and Gibraltar’s Kaiane Aldorino (Miss World 2009, 59th Edition) won Miss World Beach Beauty. China’s Yu Wenxia (Miss World 2012, 62 Edition) won Miss World Talent. Turkey’s Azra Akın (Miss World 2002, 52nd Edition) won Best World Dress Designer (Spectacular Evening Wear).

Venezuela’s Astrid Carolina Herrera (Miss World 1984, 34th Edition). India’s Aishwarya Rai (Miss World, 1994, 44th Edition). Venezuela’s Jacqueline Aguilera (Miss World 1995, 45th Edition) and India’s Diana Hayden (Miss World 1997, 47th Edition), all won Miss Photogenic. India’s Diana Hayden (Miss World 1997, 47th Edition) also won Spectacular Swimwear. India’s Manushi Chhillar who wins Miss World 2017, also crowned Femina Miss India 2017.

1. The Origin

Festive Bikini Contest in 1951


The origin of Miss World is very interesting, as it was planned to make this an annual regular event. In order to honour the swimsuit introduced at that time, this event was created. It started off as Festive Bikini Contest in 1951, but the media panned it as Miss World, and it did for good. When Eric Morley, president of the contest, came to know about the upcoming Miss Universe contest the following year in 1952, then he decided to make it an annual event. And the rest is history.