- Mexico's Andrea Meza was crowned Miss Universe on Sunday night in Hollywood, Florida.
- Rumours that the 26-year-old was married has since emerged after a photo of the model in a wedding gown resurfaced online.
- It is against the rules for Miss Universe contestants to be married.
Mexico's Andrea Meza was crowned Miss Universe on Sunday night in Hollywood, Florida.
Rumours that the 26-year-old is married has since emerged after a photo of the model in a wedding gown resurfaced online. It is against the rules for Miss Universe contestants to be married.
Andrea posted the photo in question on Instagram on 4 September 2019. The photo shows Andrea, wearing a wedding dress and veil, sharing an embrace with a man in a tux - with the caption "3-09-19," followed by a wedding ring emoji.
Speaking to Insider, Andrea cleared up the rumours, saying the picture was from an old photo shoot for her city's tourism board.
According to Insider, Andrea works as the official tourism brand ambassador for Chihuahua, where she lives in Mexico. Part of her job is to shine a spotlight on the city's tourist attractions.
The staged wedding photo formed part of a promotional campaign to showcase Copper Canyon, which is known for its hiking trails and stunning views.
"Back then, I was not in any pageant. I just posted the picture making fun of the situation," she told Insider. "We thought it was funny to prank our friends by only writing the date on the caption," she said.
The official Instagram account for Ah Chihuahua has also poured cold water on rumours, saying in a statement: "This photo is part of a promotion campaign for weddings in Copper Canyon Chihuahua, Andrea is not married."
According to The US Sun, the model who posed with Andrea in the photo is also a close friend. He released a statement on social media, saying: "Please stop with your messages and threats. That photo is from 2019, and it is not edited. It was just a joke. Check @achihuahua profile."
"Andrea is a friend of mine and [like] my sister. They were taking things out of context. These photos are old and Andrea is just my friend."
Andrea also shed light on their relationship, speaking to Insider, saying: "It's funny because the guy that is with me, he's the youngest brother of one of my best friends. He's 21. He's just a kid. And it's funny because everyone is taking it very seriously."
ALSO READ | 14 photos from the 2021 Miss Universe pageant