Wendy Fitzwilliam
Encyclopedia
Wendy Fitzwilliam is a former Miss Trinidad & Tobago Universe, the third woman of African heritage to capture the Miss Universe crown and the second Miss Universe
in history from Trinidad and Tobago
.
in Port of Spain
. She graduated in 1996 from University of West Indies with a LLB and then from Hugh Wooding Law School. She was admitted to the bar in May 2000.
pageant held at the Stan Sheriff Center
in Honolulu, Hawaii. She beat off challenges from the other semifinalists: Russia
, Ireland
, South Africa
, India
, Brazil
, Colombia
, USA
, Puerto Rico
and eventual first runner-up Veruska Ramírez of Venezuela
, who would prove to be her main competitor.
Fitzwilliam's regal air and perfect evening gown presentation won her the favor of the judges and made her the favorite to capture the crown that night. However, once the final 3 were announced, her halting final answer led people to suspense, since there was a deadlock between her and Ramirez of Venezuela, who had won the swimsuit competition with the highest score ever seen at the time and gave a straightforward answer. Because there were eight members on the panel of judges and no way to break an eventual tie, the decision promised to be a nail-biter.
In the end, Fitzwilliam prevailed and became the first contestant in history to win wearing a bikini in the swimsuit competition, denying Ramírez that title as well. Her win came 21 years after another Trinidadian, Janelle Commissiong
, who also happened to be the first Miss Universe of African heritage, captured in 1977
the crown for her country
for the first time. Fitzwilliam is, thus, the second titleholder from Trinidad & Tobago and the third of African heritage, after Commissiong and biracial Chelsi Smith
of the USA
.
During her reign, she was honored by the United Nations
and bestowed the title of UNAIDS and UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador
for her work in HIV/AIDS education and awareness.
Her dedication to the HIV/AIDS cause also led her to found The Hibiscus Foundation (THF) in Trinidad and Tobago on the 6th of September 1998. This organization was established to heighten AIDS awareness in Trinidad and Tobago and to give assistance, financially and otherwise, to children’s homes in Trinidad.
She was the international spokesperson for Clear Essence Skin Care and made several notable television appearances having hosted segments of “Wild On…” for E! Entertainment Television and the Miss Universe Special for the same network.
She made appearances on “Live with Regis and Kathy Lee”, “The Magic Hour”, “Politically Incorrect”, “The O’Reilly Factor”, CNN
’s “Talk Back Live”, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival” for BET, “The Johnny Cockran Show” on Court TV, Soca Monarch Finals for Synergy TV with Danny Glover and Chris Tucker
, among others.
demo
and continued her education. In 2000, she was admitted into the bar
.
Wendy has also acted as a judge
and host for many regional and international pageants, such as Miss Guyana
, Miss Trinidad & Tobago
, and Miss Universe
.
Currently, she is the Vice President of Investment Promotion at the Evolving TecKnologies and Enterprise Development Company Limited (E TecK), a state-owned company in Trinidad and Tobago. She is also attached to the Trinidad Guardian
's Guardian in Education: Making a Difference project, a series of motivational school tours that also features former World Champion sprinter Ato Boldon
and cyclist Michael Phillips, aiming to promote the development of the country's diversity.
Her dedication to hard work isn’t just limited to her career, over the years she has lent
herself greatly to her passion for human and social development by championing various charitable
causes both big and small.
A highlight of her social work came when she became appointed the Red Cross Ambassador of
Youth for the Caribbean. This is the first time the Red Cross has appointed anyone to this high
honourary office. In this capacity she has been afforded the opportunity to address the World’s
Youth globally, most recently as the keynote speaker of the Summit of The Americas V in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Miss Universe 1998
Miss Universe 1998, the 47th Miss Universe pageant was held at Stan Sheriff Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA on May 12, 1998. Brook Lee, Miss Universe 1997, of the USA crowned Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago as Miss Universe 1998...
in history from Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
.
Early life
Fitzwilliam was born to Juditha and Noel Fitzwilliam, one of two daughters. She grew up in Jade Gardens Diamond Vale, Diego Martin and attended Diego Martin Girls R.C before attending St. Joseph's ConventSt. Joseph's Convent, St. Joseph
St Joseph's Convent, St Joseph, Trinidad and Tobago, founded in 1870 was for many years a privately run school, providing religious education for children of both primary and secondary ages. Few records of the early years of the boarders lived in the garret of the three-storey wooden building.The...
in Port of Spain
Port of Spain
Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
. She graduated in 1996 from University of West Indies with a LLB and then from Hugh Wooding Law School. She was admitted to the bar in May 2000.
Miss Universe
Wendy modeled for local fashion designer Meiling in her teenage and early years. At age 25, she participated in the 1998 Miss UniverseMiss Universe 1998
Miss Universe 1998, the 47th Miss Universe pageant was held at Stan Sheriff Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA on May 12, 1998. Brook Lee, Miss Universe 1997, of the USA crowned Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago as Miss Universe 1998...
pageant held at the Stan Sheriff Center
Stan Sheriff Center
The Stan Sheriff Center is a 10,300-seat multi-purpose arena in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa...
in Honolulu, Hawaii. She beat off challenges from the other semifinalists: Russia
Anna Malova
Anna Malova is a beauty queen and physician who was crowned Miss Russia 1998.In 1993 she was Miss Russia 1st runner-up. Then she won the title of Miss Baltic Sea 1994 and competed in Miss World 1994 pageant where she didn't place...
, Ireland
Andrea Roche
Andrea Roche is an award-winning Irish model, socialite and occasional television personality. She took part in the RTÉ One reality sports television series Celebrity Bainisteoir in 2009 and features on a weekly basis on the TV3 show Ireland AM...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, USA
Shawnae Jebbia
Shawnae Jebbia is an entertainer and former beauty queen from Mansfield, Massachusetts who won the Miss USA title in 1998....
, Puerto Rico
Joyce Giraud
Joyce Giraud is a Puerto Rican actress and model. She is a two time Miss Puerto Rico and the second runner up in the 1998 Miss Universe pageant. She had previously represented Puerto Rico at Miss World 1994....
and eventual first runner-up Veruska Ramírez of Venezuela
Miss Venezuela 1997
The Miss Venezuela 1997 pageant was held in Caracas, Venezuela in 12 September 1997. The pageant was won by Veruska Ramírez of Táchira, who was crowned by outgoing queen Marena Bencomo of Carabobo...
, who would prove to be her main competitor.
Fitzwilliam's regal air and perfect evening gown presentation won her the favor of the judges and made her the favorite to capture the crown that night. However, once the final 3 were announced, her halting final answer led people to suspense, since there was a deadlock between her and Ramirez of Venezuela, who had won the swimsuit competition with the highest score ever seen at the time and gave a straightforward answer. Because there were eight members on the panel of judges and no way to break an eventual tie, the decision promised to be a nail-biter.
In the end, Fitzwilliam prevailed and became the first contestant in history to win wearing a bikini in the swimsuit competition, denying Ramírez that title as well. Her win came 21 years after another Trinidadian, Janelle Commissiong
Janelle Commissiong
Janelle Commissiong was born in Trinidad and Tobago. Commissiong migrated to the United States at the age of 13, and returned to Trinidad and Tobago ten years later...
, who also happened to be the first Miss Universe of African heritage, captured in 1977
Miss Universe 1977
Miss Universe 1977, the 26th annual Miss Universe pageant was held at the National Theater, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on July 16, 1977. 24-year-old Janelle Commissiong earned Trinidad & Tobago its first Miss Universe crown as well as becoming the first black woman to win the title...
the crown for her country
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
for the first time. Fitzwilliam is, thus, the second titleholder from Trinidad & Tobago and the third of African heritage, after Commissiong and biracial Chelsi Smith
Chelsi Smith
Chelsi Mariam Pearl Smith is a former beauty pageant titleholder from the United States who became the first Miss USA in fifteen years to capture the Miss Universe crown on May 12, 1995.-Early life:...
of the USA
Miss USA 1995
Miss USA 1995, the forty-fourth Miss USA pageant, was held at South Padre Island, Texas culminating in the final competition and crowning on February 10, 1995....
.
During her reign, she was honored by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and bestowed the title of UNAIDS and UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador
UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador
UNFPA Goodwill Ambassadors are celebrity advocates of the United Nations Population Fund and use their talent and fame to advocate for the human right of reproductive health.-Current Goodwill Ambassadors:...
for her work in HIV/AIDS education and awareness.
Her dedication to the HIV/AIDS cause also led her to found The Hibiscus Foundation (THF) in Trinidad and Tobago on the 6th of September 1998. This organization was established to heighten AIDS awareness in Trinidad and Tobago and to give assistance, financially and otherwise, to children’s homes in Trinidad.
She was the international spokesperson for Clear Essence Skin Care and made several notable television appearances having hosted segments of “Wild On…” for E! Entertainment Television and the Miss Universe Special for the same network.
She made appearances on “Live with Regis and Kathy Lee”, “The Magic Hour”, “Politically Incorrect”, “The O’Reilly Factor”, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
’s “Talk Back Live”, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival” for BET, “The Johnny Cockran Show” on Court TV, Soca Monarch Finals for Synergy TV with Danny Glover and Chris Tucker
Chris Tucker
Christopher "Chris" Tucker is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing the role of Detective James Carter in the Rush Hour film series.-Early life:...
, among others.
After Miss Universe
After her reign, she recorded a jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
and continued her education. In 2000, she was admitted into the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
.
Wendy has also acted as a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
and host for many regional and international pageants, such as Miss Guyana
Miss Guyana Universe
Miss Guyana Universe is a national beauty pageant for women in Guyana. The winner represents Guyana in Miss Universe.-Representative in Miss Universe Pageant:* Compete as British Guiana before 1966....
, Miss Trinidad & Tobago
Miss Trinidad and Tobago Universe
The Miss Trinidad and Tobago Universe beauty pageant has been held annually since 1963 a year after its independence from the United Kingdom. The contest is meant to select a suitable delegate from both islands to compete in the Miss Universe pageant....
, and Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
.
Currently, she is the Vice President of Investment Promotion at the Evolving TecKnologies and Enterprise Development Company Limited (E TecK), a state-owned company in Trinidad and Tobago. She is also attached to the Trinidad Guardian
Trinidad Guardian
The T&T Guardian is the oldest daily newspaper in Trinidad and Tobago. Founded in 1917, the Guardian is published by the Trinidad Publishing Company. The newspaper was published as a broadsheet since inception but changed to tabloid format, known as the "G-sized Guardian", in November 2002...
's Guardian in Education: Making a Difference project, a series of motivational school tours that also features former World Champion sprinter Ato Boldon
Ato Boldon
Ato Jabari Boldon is a former athlete from Trinidad and Tobago and four-time Olympic medal winner. Only 2 other men in history, Frankie Fredericks and Carl Lewis, have won as many Olympic individual event sprint medals. He is the current national record holder in the 50, 60 and 200 metres events...
and cyclist Michael Phillips, aiming to promote the development of the country's diversity.
Her dedication to hard work isn’t just limited to her career, over the years she has lent
herself greatly to her passion for human and social development by championing various charitable
causes both big and small.
A highlight of her social work came when she became appointed the Red Cross Ambassador of
Youth for the Caribbean. This is the first time the Red Cross has appointed anyone to this high
honourary office. In this capacity she has been afforded the opportunity to address the World’s
Youth globally, most recently as the keynote speaker of the Summit of The Americas V in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Personal life
Wendy gave birth to her son, Ailan Andrew Panton in June 2006, and separated from his father, David Panton, in 2008. She currently resides in her native Trinidad and Tobago with her 4 year old son, who became muse for her first book, “Letters To Ailan”, an ode to him and about her experience as a mother. She achieved great success with her book and has launched "The Wendy Fitzwilliam Show" on Heartbeat 103.5fm (Trinidad) which airs on Sundays at 10am -11am.External links
- Official Website, Official Website
- Facebook Fanpage, Official Facebook Fanpage
- Wendy Fitzwilliam, UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador
- eTecK, Evolving TecKnologies and Enterprise Development Company