A woman is preparing to take to one of the world’s most prestigious stages after being selected to compete in the Miss Universe Great Britain pageant.

Angela Aumonier, 25, from Douglas, is set to fly the flag for the Isle of Man during the contest, which will be held in Newport, Wales, in July.

And the winner of that contest will go on to represent the UK in this year’s global Miss Universe event.

Miss Universe is an international beauty pageant in which contestants from countries around the world compete in areas such as presentation, interviews and advocacy, with the winner acting as a global ambassador.

The 2026 contest is due to be held in Puerto Rico later this year.

Angela’s own involvement in pageantry began almost on a whim.

During a break at work, she submitted an online application, unsure whether she was ready for the opportunity.

She decided to go ahead with the bid and was eventually shortlisted for the pageant.

Angela grew up on the Isle of Man and spent much of her early life involved in sport, training at the National Sports Centre and competing across the UK.

And Angela says her Filipino heritage has influenced her interest in pageantry.

The Philippines has a strong pageant culture, and she watched Miss Universe growing up with her mother, although she did not initially see it as something she would pursue, particularly as she lacked confidence in public speaking.

That changed in her early twenties.

At 22, Angela began entering international pageants, using the experience to build confidence, develop leadership skills and improve her public speaking.

Away from the stage, Angela founded Marsha’s Hope Foundation, a charity focused on improving women’s health that was set up in memory of her inspirational aunt Marsha Pitao Cubbon.

Marsha was a respected GP in Douglas who sadly died at Hospice Isle of Man in 2015, aged 39, after a battle with ovarian cancer.

Through Marsha’s Hope Foundation, Angela has worked to raise funds which have allowed her to deliver medical missions in the Philippines, providing health education, screenings and surgical support to underserved communities.

She says that work now forms a key part of her Miss Universe Great Britain campaign.

Angela said she is keen to promote a more preventative approach to healthcare, particularly in relation to women’s health, and believes awareness and early intervention are key.

She said: ‘Too often, symptoms are dismissed or delayed. I want to encourage people to listen to their bodies, seek help sooner and feel empowered to advocate for themselves.’

As part of her campaign, Angela is organising a charity event on the Isle of Man titled the Sisterhood Soirée.

The black-tie fundraising ball will take place on Friday, May 22, at the Empress Hotel and will raise funds for a-sisterhood, the official charity partner of Miss Universe Great Britain.

The organisation works across the world to support and protect women through education, advocacy and community initiatives.

Hosting the event on the island is important to Angela.

She said: ‘This community shaped who I am. It feels important to give back and bring people together for something meaningful.’

To buy tickets or for more information about the event, visit: https://sisterhoodsoiree.netlify.app/

Public voting has now opened online for the finalists with the winner of this vote getting a 15 points head start to the competition.

To find out more information and how to vote for Angela, follow this link: https://www.missuniversegb.co.uk/finalists