Miss World 2025 crowned amid new exploitation claims

The 72nd Miss World beauty pageant was held this weekend in India and Opal Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand was crowned Miss World.

Chuangsri topped a field of 108 contestants in the contest held in India’s southern Hyderabad city on Saturday.

Hasset Dereje Admassu of Ethiopia was the first runner-up in the competition.

Chuangsri received her crown from last year’s winner Krystyna Pyszková.

Speaking to ANI, Chuangsri said she would love to work in Bollywood if there is an opportunity.  

Chuangsri said: “I feel very happy and proud. It is an honour to take the first Miss World crown to Thailand… I hope I have made them proud…If I get the opportunity, I would love to (act in Bollywood films).” 

Despite the celebrations, controversy has been brewing as Milla Magee, the reigning Miss England, has accused the organisers of the Miss World pageant of using her as window dressing. 

According to the Guardian, Magee said she agreed to take part in the 2025 Miss World pageant to promote her campaign to have CPR included in the school curriculum. However, she left before the grand final on Saturday, saying she felt she was being exploited, feeling like she and other women had been provided as entertainment for investors. 

Miss World organisers responded with a statement in which they referred to “false and defamatory statements” that they said were “completely unfounded and inconsistent with the reality of her time with us”. 

Julia Morley, the organisation’s chief executive, gavean interview with the Hindu newspaper in which she accused Magee of leaving because she “believed she didn’t stand a chance in the competition”. 

Magee responded by saying that Morley’s comments were “vindictive and very bitter” and that she left because she “wanted to stand for what I believe in and it didn’t align with my values.” 

She said: “I felt like I’ve been fed a false narrative of this system that promotes ‘beauty with a purpose’, that’s supposed to be about advocacy and what you champion for. And I thought, right, this is a real good opportunity for me on a global stage to be able to talk about Go Far with CPR. This isn’t about me standing on the stage, this isn’t about what I wear. It’s not about what I look like.” 

Magee claims she and other contestants were there more to entertain guests, with limited opportunity given to promote their causes.  

Additional sources • ANI, Guardian, The Hindu