Newly crowned Grace Richardson has pledged to use her year as Miss England in a positive and purposeful way as she prepares for the Miss World stage taking place in 2026.
The 20-year-old had high hopes of impressing judges in the Miss England Talent Round with a breathtaking ballet routine filmed inside the iconic Leicester Cathedral — a performance that captured her poise, strength and deep connection to her home city.
Filming her Talent video, Ballet dancing in Leicester Cathedral
Just days after submitting her talent video entry to Miss England, Grace fractured her foot during a routine practice session at university, where she is studying Musical Theatre. The injury meant she was unable to perform the routine live at the Miss England Final when she was shortlisted.
“It was devastating,” Grace said.
“Ballet is my first love, and I poured my heart into that performance. To then be told I couldn’t dance for months — right before the Miss England Sportsround and the final, and in my final year at university — was really hard to accept.”
Rather than withdrawing, Grace adapted — a decision that proved pivotal. Unable to dance, she instead performed Never Enough from The Greatest Showman using her voice — a courageous switch that won her the Miss England Talent Round, on day one of the contest ultimately securing her the Miss England title by just one point.
Grace singing The Greatest Showman song “Never Enough” on Day one at the Miss England final which ultimately won her the Miss England title
Ankyloglossia Condition
Singing has never come easily for Grace. Born with ankyloglossia — commonly known as being tongue-tied — she has faced lifelong challenges with speech and vocal control.
“People don’t always realise how something so small can have such a big impact,” she explained.
“It’s affected how I speak and sing, but I’ve worked hard with coaches and specialists to find ways to adapt. I’ve learned that limitations can be turned into strengths.”
For her Miss World audition, Grace plans to deliver a dual performance combining ballet and singing, showcasing the full range of her performing arts training and demonstrating the versatility that defined her Miss England win.
Grace is preparing not only for the Miss World Talent Round, but also the grueling Sports Round which will see her compete with over 100 countries from across the world. Grace missed out on the Miss England Sportsround due to the ankle injury.
Grace missed out on the Miss England Sportsround held in Leicester due to her ankle injury but from January 1st will be training hard!
So alongside her artistic preparation, Grace is also rebuilding her fitness after spending more than four weeks in a medical boot!
Starting on January 1st, she will run 30km over 10 days, raising funds for the Vayyu Foundation and the Uhumans Project, highlighting her Beauty with a Purpose focus, Every Drop Counts which she has promoted during 2025.
Supporters can donate via Grace’s JustGiving page:
Representing England at Miss World, Grace will be proud to carry her region’s name onto the national stage.
“Leicester will always be home,” she said. “This city gave me the confidence to dream big. No matter what happens next, I want young people here to know that setbacks don’t define you — how you respond to them does.”
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