KEY POINTS
- Fátima Bosch of Mexico is the new Miss Universe 2025, winning after a turbulent season marked by walkouts and resignations.
- Bosch's advocacy on mental health, youth empowerment and eco-fashion elevated her beyond pageantry aesthetics.
- The crowning used the Filipino-crafted Jewelmer Lumière de l'Infini Crown, celebrating the Philippines' national gem, the golden South Sea pearl.
The world watched as The Miss Universe Organisation crowned its new titleholder, Miss Mexico Fátima Bosch Fernández, at the 74th annual Miss Universe pageant held on 21 November 2025.
Fátima's coronation brings a dramatic and controversy-filled pageant season to an emotional end.
Fernández succeeds Denmark's outgoing queen Maria Victoria Kjær Theilvig, marking the start of a new reign defined by cultural representation and advocacy.
Bosch, 24, becomes the first global titleholder from Tabasco, Mexico — and one of the most vocal contestants in recent Miss Universe history. Her win closes a turbulent month marked by walkouts, resignations, and accusations that tested the organisation's leadership and values.
The season also marked the return of the Filipino-crafted Jewelmer Lumière de l'Infini Crown, featuring golden South Sea pearls and French-inspired design techniques.
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The Universe Rejoices — Miss Mexico Wins Amid Chaos in Bangkok
Bosch's crowning came after a night of runway presentations, a Q&A final round and cultural displays under the theme 'The Power of Love.' Her predecessor, Denmark's Maria Victoria Kjær Theilvig, passed the crown onstage as Bosch received a $250,000 queen's benefits package and year-long ambassadorial duties.
The finale capped what the BBC described as an 'exceptionally chaotic edition' of Miss Universe. In the weeks prior, the organisation faced:
- Walkouts from contestants after Miss Mexico was publicly berated at a rehearsal event in Thailand
- Two judges resigning and one alleging pre-selection of contestants
- Leadership tensions between Thai and Mexican executives after a CEO resignation
- A contestant rushed to hospital following an alarming fall during preliminaries
Miss Mexico: From Advocacy Leader to Symbol of Empowerment
Bosch was already a standout long before her win. Ranked No. 5 on Missosology's international 'Hot Picks,' she gained attention for representing Mexico with environmental advocacy, neurodiversity awareness and fashion innovation.
Her background includes studies in Mexico, Milan and Vermont, and work supporting children's mental health and eco-fashion initiatives.
She also became a viral figure after stating during a public dispute:
'We respect you, just as you should respect us. I'm here representing my country.'
The Miss Universe Organisation later condemned the behaviour directed toward her and affirmed its commitment to 'dignity, respect and inclusion.'
A Filipino-Made Crown for a Mexican Queen
As she begins her reign, Bosch becomes the second wearer of the Lumière de l'Infini crown — a piece Filipino jewellers describe as a 'tribute to the Philippines, woven with national identity.'
The crown honours the golden South Sea pearl, produced in the Philippines, and was handcrafted by Filipino master artisans using traditional Place Vendôme techniques, known as the centre of French luxury jewellery.
Mexico Takes the Throne — What Comes Next?
Bosch now inherits the global advocacy platform shaped by past Miss Universe campaigns, from HIV awareness to education and disaster relief. As global viewership shifts from television to TikTok-driven fandoms, Bosch enters her reign with both intense scrutiny and passionate support online.
While Miss Universe faces a changing business landscape and divisive leadership transitions, the new queen stands at a symbolic centre: a reminder of why pageants, as former MUO president Paula Shugart said, 'are nothing if you're not empowering the women that compete.'
