COVERSTORY 12.25
VICTORIA KJAERTHEILVIG
Holidays with Miss Universe
Photography by Fadil Berisha @fadilberishaphotography
Story by Diana Addison Lyle
In our previous October November 2025 issue, we introduced you to 21-year-old multi-lingual Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, the current history-making Miss Denmark, who became the first person from her home country to be crowned Miss Universe.
It’s non-coincidental that the message of the Holiday season and the responsibilities of the Miss Universe title carry the same pertinent meanings: the spreading of goodwill to all people across the world through representation, compassion and advocacy. All these elements can powerfully create a ripple effect of positive change.
Victoria has been vastly aware of the impact she can make universally with her public platform, and she has actively engaged with people from so many different cultures, backgrounds and circumstances. She has gone into each country she’s visited spreading the important message of our shared humanity. She’s broken bread with people she would never have met were it not for Miss Universe’s outreach, and that makes the value of her platform much more than just a beauty competition.
“I come from a very conservative country,” Victoria explains matter-of-factly, “and Europe and Scandinavia in general don’t view beauty competitions the way the rest of the world sees them. I really had to educate my countrymen on what being Miss Universe is about and what we stand for.” She converted pre-conceived notions into a more welcoming reception. Victoria sets the cozy Holiday winter scene for us with vivid descriptions of Denmark’s winter wonderland.
“It starts snowing in Denmark in December during the Christmas season and that’s always what I hope for because a white Christmas feels so special. When I was younger, we went skiing a lot, but when I got older, we went to sunny places during the Denmark winters. I love to go ice-skating with my family. My Dad used to be a professional ice hockey player. He put me into skates when I was two or three years old. The ice hockey season starts in autumn, so I love to go to the local ice hockey team games with my siblings and friends during this time of the year. It’s the place where the whole local community gets together. Ice hockey is a very fast and exciting game, and I follow it with great enthusiasm.”
We delve more deeply into Victoria’s strengths. She impressed the Miss Universe judges in the final questions before her crowning with an outlook that is full of positivity and no regrets. She supplies the details:
“I said on the stage when I was asked the final questions that I wouldn’t change the way I have lived my life. This statement really reflects the importance of being yourself and accepting mistakes while taking on challenges. I firmly believe that every single experience – even tough ones – shape us into who we are. Learning from our experiences is very important. Even our mistakes are never failures. They are lessons, and one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that mistakes are opportunities that we grow from, and so, we become more resilient and more refined because of our experiences.”
Victoria enlarges on that thought pattern:
“People often fear failure because of society’s reaction. There’s no such thing as a perfect human-being. What I have learned is that our greatest growth occurs when things don’t go according to plan. When we embrace our mistakes, we unlock the potential for fulfilment in life. I really try to live my life with this in mind.”
My Dad used to be a professional ice hockey player. He put me into skates when I was two or three years old. The ice hockey season starts in autumn, so I love to go to the local ice hockey team games with my siblings and friends during this time of the year. It’s the place where the whole local community gets together. Ice hockey is a very fast and exciting game, and I follow it with great enthusiasm
“I also believe in the importance of having a positive attitude every day. Positivity is a choice, and it’s not about being happy all the time. Noone is happy all the time. We all face difficulties in life, but it is about maintaining an optimistic attitude – even when things don’t go perfectly. This outlook will help us to see opportunities where others might only see the obstacles.”
Victoria’s remarkable maturity at such a young age is honed from her ability to reflect on everything that has happened to her. She explains:
“I take each circumstance and really reflect on it. My experiences fuel me, and I turn them into energy for my ambitions.”
Victoria has succeeded in achieving her goals with that strong mindset.
“I wanted to make history for my country by becoming the first Miss Denmark to win the Miss Universe crown. That is what I manifested. I also wanted to set an example for everyone who looks at themselves and thinks they are not good enough. Of course they are good enough. Everybody can achieve their dreams if they believe in themselves and are prepared to work hard to get there. Dreams give us a purpose and there’s room for all ambitions, no matter how big or how small.”
“Dreaming expands our potentials. Life is like a bumpy road. You need ups and you need downs so that you can go up again. If we didn’t go down, we wouldn’t go up. While the road may not always be clear, smooth or easy, it’s important to remember that the bumps shape us along our journey and make us more resilient and stronger.”
Victoria recognizes the importance of appreciating the human stories behind productions. She draws attention to the first Golden Pearl Crown that she wore at her Miss Universe crowning.
“I’m the first person to wear this beautiful crown made by a Philippines Jeweler and it is so meaningful because I visited the people behind it, and I witnessed how much effort and sacrifice they put into it to help feed their own families.”
A particular passion of Victoria’s is communicating with millennials and Gen Zs.
Dreaming expands our potentials. Life is like a bumpy road. You need ups and you need downs so that you can go up again. If we didn’t go down, we wouldn’t go up. While the road may not always be clear, smooth or easy, it’s important to remember that the bumps shape us along our journey and make us more resilient and stronger
“One of my greatest goals is to help empower young people – to let them know that they are seen, heard and valued. I have been visiting schools, under-served communities, and speaking at different places – using my voice to help encourage others to believe in their own worth, and to pursue education and opportunities. When the people I meet see a contemporary of their generation on the global stage, they realize that they, too, can rise. I encourage them to dream big, because no matter where they come from or their circumstances, their hopes and beliefs are what will carry them. But it’s not just about dreaming. It’s about working hard, and in the beauty pageant industry and in every other industry, discipline is essential, as is hard work and resilience.”
Victoria emphasizes, “I am always touched by how warmly the people around the world have received me, and that has inspired me – even when I was tired.”
On the topic of tiredness, jet lag, and coping with being in different time zones across the world, Victoria offers this advice:
“Tiredness is a human reality, and everyone experiences it; there’s no ‘expert’ formula to prevent it. What I like to do is re-charge my body when I have a day off. I’ll sleep in late and lay in the sun – if I’m lucky. I also like to listen to some music. Those relaxation techniques restore my energy.”
The Holiday season is about being with family and Victoria provides a vivid description of that setting.
“At Christmas, we always decorate the houses. I say houses in plural because my parents are divorced so my dad and mom live in separate homes. While we don’t all live together, we decorate together. I LOVE to bake so I always make a lot of Christmas cookies, and I give them to my grandparents. The 24th December – Christmas Eve – is when we have our Danish traditional Christmas dinner. We eat pork and duck with lots of potatoes, red cabbage and brown sauce. On Christmas Day, I go to my mom for the first half of the day, and we play some games together with our grandad, and we open our gifts together. At nighttime I go to my dad’s house with the rest of his family, and we have our Christmas dinner and open our gifts.”
Victoria’s pets play a very important role in her life. Alvin, her 4-year-old Pomeranian dog, has a special place in her heart, and he’s flanked by her dad’s two cats with whom Victoria grew up. She also has a horse and two rabbits.
We touch briefly on the Danish Royal family. King Frederick is married to Queen Mary, formerly an Australian lawyer, and Victoria very much admires Mary’s qualities. She says, “Mary is a strong woman who does a lot of good work for different communities. I look up to her.”
One of my greatest goals is to help empower young people – to let them know that they are seen, heard and valued. I have been visiting schools, under-served communities, and speaking at different places – using my voice to help encourage others to believe in their own worth, and to pursue education and opportunities
Victoria celebrates her 22nd birthday during this Holiday season and she describes how she typically spends her birthday:
“The weather isn’t always that great, but I do like to spend it with the people closest to me. Normally, when I’m in Denmark, I go out with my mom, have a slice of cake, drink a little coffee. Later, I will go to a restaurant with my dad’s side of the family. I like to enjoy my birthday in a very chilled way.”
When it comes to personal relationships, Victoria emphasizes how her commitment to her Miss Universe duties has not allowed her the time to invest in a serious relationship.
“My entire focus has been on my reign and I’m traveling so much, so there’s been no time for men.”
On the topic of ending wars and achieving world peace, her perspective centers on the collective power of the individual:
“I believe that the world is a complex, multi-faceted place, and that achieving peace and harmony really requires a nuanced approach. I truly believe that peace isn’t a distant, idealistic goal. It’s something that we as humans can work together towards every day both individually and collectively. As humans, we cannot change the world alone, but we should do our best because every little bit that we do individually goes a long way. I truly believe that one day, the world will be a better place.”
Victoria is a strong proponent of the power of a healthy lifestyle.
“Having a heathy lifestyle creates a healthy mind, and because you work so much, you need to be healthy to have the stamina to do the job well. No matter what job you have, taking care of yourself is essential. Your body is your temple.”
She does not diet or restrict her calorie intact. She laughs at that notion while emphasizing,
“I eat everything because I’m a passionate ‘foodie’. I try to work out when I have the time, and getting 6-8 hours of sleep with my busy agenda can sometimes be challenging. When I’m in Denmark, I re-charge with friends and family. I go on long walks in the woods with my dog, Alvin, and that truly gives me peace.”
Christmas Eve is when we have our Danish traditional Christmas dinner. We eat pork and duck with lots of potatoes, red cabbage and brown sauce. On Christmas Day, I go to my mom for the first half of the day, and we play some games together with our grandad, and we open our gifts together. At nighttime I go to my dad’s house with the rest of his family, and we have our Christmas dinner and open our gifts
When it comes to her favorite food dishes, Victoria says animatedly:
“I love so many different foods. Also, because I travel around the world, I get to try out so many wonderful dishes. Of the countries I’ve visited, I was in Colombia, and I tried something called chicharrón. It’s a dish eaten in most of Latin America. It’s like a crispy pork and I loved it. It’s like a tasty snack.”
When it comes to comfort food – Victoria is adamant that her dad’s homemade food wins the prize.
I ask Victoria to recall the three happiest memories of her life thus far. She responds viscerally:
“Becoming a big sister for the first time and realizing that I would always have this new little person to love, protect, and grow up with. It was such a special feeling.”
“Another memory that makes me smile is the day I got my dog, Alvin. Bringing him home was pure joy – he instantly became part of the family. The love and happiness pets give is so unconditional, and that moment changed my everyday life in the best way.”
“And of course, winning Miss Universe is a memory I’ll never forget. Standing on that stage, hearing my name, and feeling the weight of the crown was overwhelming in the most incredible way. It was the result of so much hard work, and a dream come true. It was also the beginning of a new journey where I could inspire and connect with people around the world.”
Victoria’s hopes and plans for the next few years reflect her core beliefs in realizing one’s dreams and working hard to achieve them.
“I have so many plans,” she says enthusiastically.
“I feel that my year as Miss Universe has been the beginning of something bigger. I want to do another start-up; My first business start-up was when I was 16. I took a course in eye lash extensions, and I opened a salon. I’m ready to do something else. I love to be creative and hands-on with what I’m doing. I will continue modeling work, but I’m also a true believer that the universe will take me where I’m supposed to go. I want to start my own clothing brand which is something I’ve wanted to do for years. I have a lot of ideas and there are no limits. I dream hugely and that expands my horizons.”
I ask Victoria if she can give us a hint of the style of clothing she might like to put out in the future. Her answer is resolute:
“Definitely classic Scandinavian style with a twist of me. I want to make pieces that go with everything. I also want my clothing line to look stylishly classy.”
As we wrap up 2025 and welcome in the Holiday season, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, too, is wrapping up her reign as Miss Universe by handing her Golden Pearl Crown to her successor at the 74th Miss Universe pageant in Thailand. She’s accomplished an extraordinary amount in her young life and is an inspiration to all of us as we welcome in 2026.
