Harborough teenager ‘really excited’ as youngest semi-finalist of Miss England competition
A teenager from Market Harborough says she is ‘really excited’ after being selected for the semi-finals of this year’s Miss England competition.
Pearl Sanders-Ellis, 16, is the youngest contestant to reach this stage of the 2026 edition of the national event, with the semi-finals due to be held at the Melton Theatre in Melton Mowbray on October 11.
Pearl originally entered the Miss Leicestershire competition but was unable to attend the final stages as she had already committed to a school trip to Cambodia.
She was invited to audition for a place in the Miss England semi-finals by the organiser of Miss Leicestershire Grace Richardson, who is also the reigning Miss England, and was subsequently offered a place.
Pearl, who is due to collect her GCSE results later this month, told the Harborough Mail: “When I originally saw the competition on social media I thought you had to be specially selected.
“It said it was for people who want to challenge themselves and make a positive difference, and I like pushing myself, so I saw it as a good opportunity to build confidence and meet people.
“When I heard the current Miss England say I was doing well, I was very excited.
“I did not realise I was the youngest contestant, but I think that separates me from everyone else, and it shows that age does not define you.
“If I get further and get to meet everyone it will be interesting to see how they react, because some of the other contestants are 10 years older than me.”
Pearl’s profile on the Miss England website details how she ‘loves having long hair’ and has previously donated some of her hair to The Little Princess Trust, a charity which provides free real-hair wigs to children and young people facing hair loss from cancer or other conditions.
Pearl’s hair currently comes down to just below her bellybutton, and she said when she straightens her hair ‘it is even longer.’
“I have donated to the trust twice before, and you must give at least 12 inches of hair {in a donation}, Pearl said.
“Knowing that it helps bring confidence to other people makes me want to do it and makes it worthwhile.”
Alongside taking part in what the Miss England website describes as ‘a traditional catwalk-style contest’, participants are also encouraged to take part in an optional round, which can be related to fashion, sports or promoting their local area.
Pearl said: “I am passionate about fashion and textiles, so I am hoping to take part in the ECO fashion round {where contestants create their outfits from recycled materials}.
“I am hoping to repurpose a lot of unwanted clothes, rather than buying something new.”
Pearl said that her family, friends and teachers at school were extremely ‘supportive’ of her participation in the competition.
“Everyone is so supportive and proud of me which is really nice,” she said.
“Teenagers are often judged and stereotyped, so it is nice to be able to challenge those perceptions - even if I do not win, I feel I have still achieved something worthwhile.
“I have really enjoyed explaining to people about the competition, and that it is not just about appearances.”
Pearl’s dad Tim Ellis added: “It was Pearl’s choice to take part in Miss Leicestershire, and she made great progress through the competition.
“It was a shame she couldn’t attend the final, but to hear Grace’s comments and positive feedback, was really encouraging for us as parents.
“We are super proud of Pearl - she has worked hard to achieve everything so far.”
Pearl is planning to move on to Sixth Form at the start of the next academic year, while this autumn she also has the next stage of the Miss England competition to look forward to.