Crown Up ! - International
Eden McAllister crowned Miss Great Britain
Eden McAllister has been crowned Miss Great Britain at the end of the ceremony, held in Leicester on September 17th, 2021. Beating 36 other girls to pick up the crown, the Jubilant Dundonald student succeeds Miss Great Britain 2020, Jen Atkin, and bring the coveted national beauty title home to Northern Ireland for the first time in nine years. It was last won by Gemma Garrett, who also hails from Dundonald, in 2007. With this title, she will represent Great Britain at the upcoming edition of the Miss World Tourism pageant, the date and venue of which is yet to be announced.
The 22-year-old, who just graduated a first-class honours degree in criminology and forensic science.last week, also emerged as this year’s Miss Beach Body and reached the Top 10 in the talent category. A still stunned Eden said last night at the Sun: “It was amazing but it still hasn’t settled in yet, I still can’t quite believe it. I woke up this morning and the first thing I saw was the crown and I thought ‘this is real’. When it got down to the final two, I thought I would be thrilled to be the runner up and then they announced I had won. I couldn’t stop shaking. That moment when they put the crown on my head I just felt full. I felt that I have achieved everything I had set out to do. I am so proud and also so proud to have done it for Belfast. It just shows that Belfast girls can do it!”
Not a newbie to pageantry, Eden entered her first contest – Miss Team Galaxy Ireland – in 2016 and walked away with the title. In 2017 she made it into the top five of the Miss Northern Ireland contest and, after moving to England to study at university, she won the final of Miss Pageant Girl UK in 2019.
The number of contestants for Miss Great Britain 2021 reached new heights following the introduction of the Ms division. The new group allows women aged 28 to 39 to battle it out for the crown.
Kat Henry, 37, a mum of one and Zumba instructor from South London snagged the Ms crown. She said: “I am beyond grateful for every single person who played a part in this journey. We made history on Friday. I continue to pave the way for greater representation for not only plus size women, but also women of colour within powerful, leadership roles. To anyone who has ever felt unworthy or incapable of taking up space in society today because they don’t fit a specific mould, I hope that this inspires you to strive to achieve your dreams.”
And, Kirsty Fletcher, from Surrey, won the Classic division and urged other women to compete in the group for over 40s.
