A Miss England beauty queen has been stripped of her crown after attending her best friend’s wedding on the day of the pageant final. Natasha Beresford, 26, won the world’s first makeup-free beauty contest in September last year, making her Miss London.
The dental nurse made headlines when she beat 18 other women who all went “bare-faced” in the competition’s first no-makeup competition in the contest’s 95-year history.
She was due to compete in the Miss England final in Wolverhampton in May and had a “huge chance” of being named the winner, organizers said. But Natasha threw away her chance to become the next Miss England because her final coincided with her best friend’s big day.
So instead of walking the catwalk, she will walk down the aisle as a bridesmaid after turning down the chance to become the next Miss England.
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Natasha, originally from Sheffield but now living in London, said: “Unfortunately I am no longer representing London and will not be taking part in the Miss England national final in May.”
“My best friend is getting married in the north of England the same weekend and I’ve already committed to being her bridesmaid.
“I would like to thank everyone for their support during my time in the competition and wish all the Miss England finalists the best of luck.”
Ironically, Natasha wowed the Miss England judges with her natural beauty by wearing a white lace bridal dress in the competition without make-up.
Organizers said the concept aims to empower women, increase self-confidence, focus on natural looks and promote a more realistic body image.
Miss England director Angie Beasley said: “It’s such a shame that Natasha won’t be able to compete in the Miss England final as she had such a fantastic opportunity.
“It’s such a shame that Miss England passed away on the same day as her best friend’s wedding. But the show must go on and we wish Natasha all the best for the future.”
“Natasha is a true beauty with a purpose who puts others before herself. It’s understandable that she doesn’t want to disappoint her best friend.”
Runner-up Temi Adeyemi, 26, an accounting assistant from Enfield, Middlesex, will compete in the final as Miss London.
She said: “I wanted to take part in the Miss England final make-up free to embrace my natural beauty. For me, this is an empowering word. Also, for me it was great to represent London. “It’s an honor and I’m very excited.”
The Miss England final will be held over two days on May 16th and 17th at Grand Station, Wolverhampton. For more information about the competition, please visit www.missengland.info.
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