On January 14, R’Bonney Gabriel was named the 71st Miss Universe pageant winner. This marked a new era for the organization, as it was recently acquired by Thai billionaire Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, who is a transgender woman.
Held at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. This marks the ninth time the United States has won the pageant.
Due to the postponement of the pageant to avoid conflicting with the Soccer World Cup in Qatar, Gabriel will hold the title of Miss Universe 2022.
Former Miss Universe 2021, Harnaaz Sandhu from India, passed on the title to Gabriel, who will now represent a new phase of the pageant that focuses on promoting gender equality and women’s rights.
Miss Venezuela Amanda Dudamel and Miss Dominican Republic Andreína Martínez were also recognized as the first and second runners-up.
The three beauty queens will now spend a year representing the pageant and will be based in Thailand, the new home of Miss Universe starting this year.
The Event
The Miss Universe pageant featured a musical performance by rapper and hip-hop singer Big Freedia, as well as Big Sam’s Funky Nation, violinist Amanda Shaw, Tank and The Bangas, and singer Yolanda Adams.
Big Freedia was also a member of the judging panel, which included Cuban journalist and presenter Myrka Dellanos, Miss Universe 2010 Ximena Navarrete from Mexico, Sweta Patel, an executive from Roku company, Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam, actress and journalist Emily Austin, and Olivia Quido, CEO and founder of O Skin Med Spa.
The Crown: The Most Expensive in the History of Miss Universe
R’Bonney Gabriel was crowned Miss Universe 2022 by her predecessor, Harnaaz Sandhu, with the new ‘Force for Good’ crown.
The crown is adorned with 993 precious stones and a 45.14-carat sapphire, making it the most valuable crown in the 71-year history of the pageant, valued at 5.3 million dollars.
Additionally, it is the first crown in the pageant’s history to be made with recyclable materials.
Who is R’Bonney Gabriel?
R’Bonney Gabriel, 28, is a Texas native with a Filipino heritage. She graduated with a degree in Fashion Design in 2018.
Gabriel is the first woman of Filipino descent to be crowned Miss United States.
Her father, Remigio Bonzon ‘R. Bon’ Gabriel is a Filipino who immigrated to the United States to study psychology at the University of Southern California, while her mother, Dana Walker, is American.
The New Era of Miss Universe
On January 14, the new owner of the Miss Universe Organization, Thai billionaire Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, announced the start of a “new stage of Miss Universe, made by women for women” and shared her personal journey of “transforming pain” as a rejected transgender woman.
Under this new administration, the pageant is focusing on promoting feminist and equity issues. For the 72nd Miss Universe pageant, it was announced that married candidates with children would be eligible to participate, something that had previously been prohibited.
The Miss Universe Organization also revealed that the 2023 pageant would be held in El Salvador, with a video announcement from the country’s president Nayib Bukele.
The 71st Miss Universe pageant marked the start of a new era for the organization under the leadership of Thai billionaire Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, who is the first transgender woman to own the pageant.
The pageant is now shifting its focus towards promoting feminist and equity issues and has made changes such as allowing married candidates with children to participate.
R’Bonney Gabriel, a Texas native of Filipino descent, was crowned the winner and will spend the next year representing the pageant and its mission of promoting women’s rights.
The next edition of the pageant will be held in El Salvador in 2023.