Miss Belgium

Duchâteau participated and won the International Pageant of Pulchritude in 1931, earning her the title "Miss Universe 1931".

She demanded the participants of the contest to be bilingual - being able to talk Dutch and French, the two main languages of Belgium.

Many of those winners - including Goedele Liekens, Lynn Wesenbeek, Sandrine Corman, Dina Tersago and Julie Taton - had successful careers in television.

[13] The Miss Belgium 2023 pageant show was postponed due to suspicions of a terrorist attack.

A suspect was arrested, weapons were found in his car and after the venue was fully searched, the show started with a delay.

[18][19] The election of Alizee Poulicek, a native speaker of French and Czech, has even been linked to the 2007–08 Belgian government formation.

[20] The behaviour of the audience was noted across Europe,[21][22] and the Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws sarcastically put the headline "Miss Belgium doesn't speak Dutch.

Miss Belgium 2017, Romanie Schotte, was accused of racism because of a post at Instagram.

[23] In 2018 however, Miss Belgium 2018 Angeline Flor Pua, was met with much racism after winning.

The Secretary of State of Equal Opportunities Zuhal Demir disapproved the racist comments and applauded the new Miss Belgium.

In 2002 and 2003, VTM aired the docuseries Miss België, achter de schermen about the candidates and the preparation for the election show.

[55][56] In 2008, when the show was moved to broadcoaster VT4, a new docusoap Wie wordt Miss België 2008 aired.

[57][58] In 1999, Miss Belgium-organiser Cécile Muller wrote a book about her 30 year experience of the contest and the 600 girls she guided.

It included a timeline about the contest, interviews of 15 ex-winners and the diary of Miss Belgium 2007, Annelien Coorevits.