The Miss Universe stage is usually where glitter and composure reign, but this year, the backstage story stole the spotlight with the energy of a plot twist no one ordered. Just one day before the international pageant took place in Bangkok, the president of the Miss Universe selection committee, Princess Camilla di Borbone delle Due Sicilie, stepped away from her judging role.
Her exit did not stand alone for long. The announcement arrived only a day after Omar Harfouch and French soccer manager and former pro Claude Makélélé revealed they were resigning, too. Now this is the moment the orchestra would get suspenseful.
Accusations, Denials, and a Growing Storm
Harfouch did what many public figures do in moments of peak frustration. He opened Instagram and said everything. In a series of Stories, he claimed the existence of a secret thirty-finalist selection carried out by individuals with personal ties to contestants. According to him, this unsanctioned group even included the person tallying votes.
The Miss Universe Organization quickly denied all claims. Their response suggested Harfouch may have confused the official judging process with Beyond the Crown, a separate social impact program that does not influence the competition results.
© Future PublishingMakélélé kept his statement far more gentle, citing unforeseen personal reasons for stepping down and praising the organization for promoting empowerment and excellence.
These departures land at a very inconvenient time. The pageant is set to crown a winner on Thursday, November 20 (Friday, November 21 in Thailand), and there is already tension from a recent incident involving a top organizer criticizing Miss Mexico, an episode that led to a contestant walkout. International executives were flown in to address the unrest, which tells you exactly how unusual this year has been.
© @sarinkp.officialThe Contestant Perspective
The controversy does not stop at judges. A current contestant, speaking anonymously to PEOPLE, confirmed that rumors of a secret top thirty list spread among participants after rehearsal on Tuesday night. Their source was not the organization but social media.
She explained that contestants were devastated to hear the alleged top thirty were chosen before they even competed. Even worse, she said many women named in that list had known personal connections to people within the organization.
© AFP via Getty Images“So many contestants have sacrificed their personal lives, left their jobs, and spent a year preparing for this moment. Some of us have fallen ill, been hospitalized, or pushed through exhaustion while receiving only three to four hours of sleep each night,” she adds. “We did this because we believed in the integrity of this organization and the mission they told us they stood for.”
“How can you preach ‘The Power of Love’ while operating in secrecy?” the contestant tells PEOPLE. “How can you demand excellence from women who have given everything, when transparency isn’t given in return? One of the missions of the organization is fighting for equality, but how can you fight for equality when we are not equal?”
What Comes Next for the Pageant?
This has been a lesson in how quickly a polished institution can find itself in reactive mode. Between judge resignations, contestant worries, public statements, and organizational pushback, the narrative feels like it is still forming in real time.
© AFP via Getty ImagesBeauty pageants often reinvent themselves to stay relevant, embracing new values and modern expectations. The next few days may not just determine a winner but possibly the direction Miss Universe takes into its future.
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