Miss North Carolina Stripped Of Her Crown Weeks Before Pageant

Brittany Boltinhouse, 27, was stripped of her Miss North Carolina USA 2026 title Wednesday, just six weeks after being crowned and three weeks before she was set to compete at the 75th annual Miss USA pageant in Miami on August 27.

First runner-up Myla Hadley will represent North Carolina at Miss USA instead.

The Miss USA organization did not detail the specific conduct that cost Boltinhouse her title, but CEO Thom Brodeur stated that the organization "does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia, nor language that strips any person of their dignity."

He said the decision was not triggered by a "single moment" but by "conduct over an extended period of time."

Multiple reports indicate that older social media posts by Boltinhouse resurfaced after her crowning and sparked public backlash online. Boltinhouse has not yet commented publicly.

Boltinhouse had made history when she was crowned in June, becoming the first married woman and the first woman of Honduran descent ever to win the Miss North Carolina USA title.

The pageant organization said the decision was made jointly with Boltinhouse, her state directors and the Miss USA Organization, and that she would issue her own statement in her own time.