BANGKOK, November 21. /TASS/. Mexican representative Fatima Bosch has won the final of the 74th annual Miss Universe international beauty pageant, which took place in Bangkok, the Thai PBS television channel reported.
The first runner-up was Thai representative Pavina Singh, a graduate of the prestigious Thammasat University who is fluent in Russian. The top five also included contestants from Venezuela, the Philippines and Cote d’Ivoire. The titleholder of Miss Russia 2025, Anastasia Venza, did not make the list of 30 finalists in the competition, which featured representatives from 136 countries, a record number in its history.
The first Miss Universe contest was held in 1952 in the American city of Long Beach, California. Over the years, the rights to organize the pageant have belonged to various companies. From 1996 to 2015, Donald Trump co-owned it with the NBC television network. In 2022, the project was acquired by the Thai company JKN Global Group for $20 million. In 2024, 50% of its shares were purchased for $16 million by Legacy Holding Group USA Inc., owned by Mexican businessman Raul Rocha Cantu.
The competition lasts two weeks. Its main stages include the evening gown walk, the swimsuit walk and a conversation with the judges, during which contestants must demonstrate general knowledge, wit, a sense of humor and good manners. Candidates are then selected to advance to the semifinals.
The pageant’s traveling prize is a crown. Throughout the history of the competition, 12 crowns have been used, including the wedding crown of the Romanov imperial house, which was sold in 1926 and is now in a private collection in the United States. In 2024, the 12th crown, "Light of Infinity," was introduced. It was crafted by the Filipino jewelry house Jewelmer. The crown is plated with 18-karat gold, adorned with diamonds and 23 rare golden pearls, the national gemstones of the Philippines. Its value is estimated at $5 million.