The Miss Wales Hall of Fame

Miss Wales 1961– Rosemarie Frankland

The first ever Miss World champion from the UK, which she won in 1961. When US comedian Bob Hope placed the Miss World crown on the head of Rosemarie Frankland, he told the 18-year-old she was "the most beautiful girl" he'd ever seen.

It was to mark the start of a whirlwind year for Britain's first winner of the Miss World title. Rosemarie put a smile on the faces of troops in Alaska a month after her success when she shared the stage with Bob Hope for a second time. The pair entertained the soldiers.
Despite her fame, none of it went to her head, according to beauty pageant organiser Eric Morley. In fact she never expected people to wait on her or wait for her. Her punctuality was remarked upon by Eric and the fact that she never missed an engagement.

Rosemarie left the village of Rhosllanerchrugog or Rhos as a child when her parents moved to Lancashire. But they were frequent visitors, returning to see, among other family members, her grandmother Fanny Green. In fact Rosemarie's heart was always in the village.

Despite the fame and marrying and moving to the USA, following her death Rosemarie's ashes were flown home to be buried at Rhos Cemetery on February 9 2001 at a service involving several family members who still live in nearby Wrexham today.

Before winning Miss World, Rosemarie had first won Miss Wales and was runner-up in Miss Universe.

After Miss World she married and went to live in Los Angeles. She divorced, re-married and had a daughter. She died aged 57 in December 2000 at Marina del Ray, near Los Angeles.

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