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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