Miss Denmark Becomes First Blonde Woman To Be Crowned Miss Universe In 20 Years

Denmark’s Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, 21, was crowned Miss Universe 2024 on Nov. 16, 2024, in Mexico City. Not only is Theilvig the first blonde woman to take the tiara in 20 years, but she also made history as the first Danish woman to win Miss Universe. That’s right – blonde beauty appears to be making a beauty in the media, and the Internet is having a field day.  

Let’s start with the moment. As confetti rained down on beautiful Miss Denmark, the runner-ups, Miss Nigeria and Chidimma Adetshina, clapped as Theilvig shrieked, “Miss Universe!” in response to someone hilariously asking, “Who are you?” 

The next morning, Theilvig posted a photo of herself lounging in a hotel bathrobe with her tiara and sash, captioning it: “First sunrise as Miss Universe. Waking up with gratitude, dreams, and a crown—ready to embrace this incredible journey.

But not everyone was as thrilled as Theilvig. The Internet, as always, had thoughts.  

@TheFreelyAshley on X shared screenshots of the backlash, writing, "Viewers of the Miss Universe beauty pageant are outraged, claiming the winner was chosen due to racism."  Some people felt Theilvig’s win was an “unfair and racist decision.” One commenter went full Mean Girls, calling her “Denmark: blonde but bland,” while another snarked, “Hope that crown feels heavy with regret.”  

On the flip side, plenty of fans rallied behind Theilvig. Her win was a cultural moment for blonde women feeling underrepresented in recent years. User @caolinecwilder said, “Skinny blonde white girl? Oh, we are so back 💁🏼‍♀️👑✨.”  

Are we witnessing the post-Trump era? @stillgray added, “This is Miss Denmark, who was just crowned Miss Universe. It’s the Trump Effect in action. Had Kamala won, the prize would’ve gone to a 40 year old transgender.”

Theilvig isn’t just a pretty face; she has the resume to back up her win. A former pro dancer, she holds a degree in marketing and business, landed in the Top 20 at Miss Grand International 2022, and has big plans to become a lawyer advocating for animal rights and mental health.

And since some people actually believe that Theilvig's win is "racist," it's important to point out that she's the first blonde winner since Russia’s Oxana Fedorova in 2002. The last two decades have seen Miss Universe crowns go to women of color from the Philippines, South Africa, India, and beyond. Calling the pageant “racist” is a reach.

At the end of the day, love it or hate it, Theilvig won fair and square.

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