Catriona Gray has recently been named the new Miss Universe 2018!
The beauty queen, who represented the Philippines in the pageant, won the crown during the coronation event held in Bangkok on 17 December.
She bested contender Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green to win the coveted title, giving a winning answer about the important lesson in her life during the final question.
"I work a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila and the life there is... it's poor and very sad. And I've always taught myself to look for the beauty of it, to look for beauty in the faces of the children and to be grateful. And I would bring this aspect as a Miss Universe, to see situations with a silver lining, and to assess where I could give something, where I could provide something as a spokesperson. If I could teach also people to be grateful, we could have an amazing world where negativity could not grow and foster, and children would have a smile on their faces. Thank you."
Gray is the fourth Filipino to bring home the coveted title, joining Gloria Diaz, Margie Moran, and Pia Wurtzbach who won in 1969, 1973, and 2015, respectively. Prior to Miss Universe, she was in the Top 5 of Miss World 2016.
She succeeded last year's Miss Universe Demi Leigh Nel Peters from South Africa.
(Photo Source: Athit Perawongmetha, Reuters)