South African model Tshego Gaelae has been crowned Mrs. World 2025. The 40th edition of the Mrs. World pageant took place in Las Vegas, USA, where Gaelae emerged victorious among contestants from around the globe.
Sri Lanka’s Ishadi Amanda was named first runner-up, while Thailand’s Ploy Panperm secured the second runner-up position.
With this win, Gaelae becomes the first Black woman to hold the title.
An excited Gaelae took to Instagram to express her gratitude on her win.
She wrote, “To God Be The Glory. Thank you so much for the love and support, I am beyond grateful and elated! My beautiful South Africa, the crown is coming Home.”
The Mrs. South Africa organization also celebrated her achievement, while noting the significance of her win.
“From Soweto to Vegas and now the World… What an honour to have a South African queen as the 40th Anniversary Mrs. World, and first ever Black Mrs. World,” she wrote.
The Mrs. World pageant, established in 1984, is the first beauty contest for married women, evolving from the Mrs. America pageant.
The competition is seen as a celebration of womanhood through an equal opportunity platform for married women to showcase their talent and beauty to the world.
It offers a chance to aspiring ladies to take the plunge and get global recognition.
According to the organizers, the Mrs. World encourages women from all walks of life to embrace their beauty, their values and ethnicity and stand tall amidst a global stage.
Gaelae’s victory marks South Africa’s second Mrs. World title, with the first won by Candice Abrahams in 2016.
Her win is coming just months after the beauty pageant drama between South Africa and Nigeria during the Miss Universe 2024 competition.
In 2024, Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, made history as the first Nigerian and West African to finish as the first runner-up at the Miss Universe competition.
Her journey was quite controversial especially since she had to withdraw from the Miss South Africa pageant and then participated in the Miss Universe Nigeria competition where she emerged the winner and then a subsequent victory in the Miss Universe 2024 pageant.