Christine Juliane Opiaza Crowned Miss Grand International 2024

Photo : Instagram / @missgrandinternational

Manila: Christine Juliane “CJ” Opiaza was officially crowned Miss Grand International 2024 on June 3, 2025. She took over the title after the original winner, Rachel Gupta from India, stepped down.

Opiaza was the first runner-up when the pageant was held on October 25, 2024, in Bangkok, Thailand.

Rachel Gupta lost her crown after she shared a video talking about serious problems she faced during her reign. In the video, she spoke about “harassment, corruption, body shaming, and being starved.”

She described her seven months as Miss Grand International as very difficult, saying she felt ignored and treated badly. She also said the pageant organizers did not support her.

On the other hand, the Miss Grand International group said they took the crown from Gupta because she did not complete her official duties in Guatemala.

‘Toxic environment’
Gupta’s decision to resign on May 28, 2025, caused a lot of debate. In an Instagram post, she said she left because of “broken promises, mistreatment, and a toxic environment.”

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The organization’s response
However, the Miss Grand International team said Gupta broke her contract by missing an official trip and doing projects without permission. Because of this, they said she was officially removed from her position.

After Gupta left, CJ Opiaza became the new Miss Grand International. This is a special moment because she is the first woman from the Philippines to win this title.

Her journey to the crown
Opiaza showed great strength during the competition. In the final round, she spoke about war and violence and asked people to be kind and united.

Her calm and confident way of speaking impressed the audience and judges. This helped her stand out as a strong contestant.

Despite the issues around the change of the titleholder, many people in the Philippines were happy to see Opiaza crowned. They praised her hard work and determination to represent her country proudly on the world stage.