HYDERABAD: Till Saturday, the 72nd edition of Miss World was progressing as planned: A polite parade of poise, sequins and diplomatic smiles. Then came an unscheduled firework display by none other than Miss England 2024, Milla Maggie.
Having left the competition on May 16, allegedly due to “personal reasons”, Maggie re-emerged in tabloid The Sun with claims that make Bridgerton look like a documentary.
“I went there to make a difference, but we had to sit like performing monkeys,” The Sun quoted her as saying, suggesting the Miss World experience was less about world peace and more about looking glamorous.
Maggie, 24, didn’t stop there. In tones more suited to exposés than tiaras, she claimed the whole affair resembled a sort of high-end cattle fair, where women were “paraded to impress wealthy individuals” and she was made to feel “like a prostitute being farmed out for entertainment.”
Understandably, this did not go down too well in Hyderabad which is hosting the pageant. The state government was swift in its response. Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary for Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture, said, “This is just an exaggerated situation.”
The Miss World Organisation (MWO) said Maggie cited health reasons for her departure. Meanwhile, the show goes on. England has now dispatched a replacement contestant, Charlotte Cox, to Hyderabad.
Julia Morley, chairperson and CEO of MWO, attempted to close the chapter with a terse message: “We responded to Maggie’s departure with compassion.”