20-year-old student Grace Richardson made history when she became the first openly gay Miss England over the weekend.
After winning Miss Leicestershire 2024, Grace Richardson re-entered the competition this year and won Miss East Midlands 2025. Progressing in the competition, she continued to wow the judges in several more rounds, delivering astounding singing and dancing performances.
Representing the East Midlands in the final at Wolverhampton’s Grand Station, she was crowned Miss England 2025 on Friday, November 21.
“I wasn’t expecting it to be me,” she said after the win. “There was so many incredible girls in that top 12 and I think all of them deserved to win.”
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As the first openly gay Miss England, Grace opened up about having faced homophobic bullying from classmates after coming out five years ago. “I feel so powerful and proud of myself. My coming out story wasn’t the easiest. My very close friends and family were all very supportive. But for some reason those at school, my peers, just weren’t in the same way that my family were,” she said.
“It was a struggle to accept myself while a lot of people weren’t accepting me. To be able to represent England at such a prestigious competition and go to Miss World next year it feels like I am breaking down those barriers and expectations that my peers set for me.”
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She added, “Knowing I’m able to share my story and represent a part of our community that hasn’t been represented in this way before is really special.”
“It is important for young people in the LGBTQ community to see people representing them in all types of walks of life,” she continued. “I haven’t seen anyone in pageantry talk about sexuality in the way that I have so it is important to me for them to feel seen.”
The 2025 Miss England contestant raised £42,000 for Beauty with a Purpose, the project that supports humanitarian efforts worldwide.
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