Dolcy D’Cruz
Born in Merces to parents Viriato Fernandes and Maria Gonsalves, Valankie Fernandes, moved from Goa to the UK at the age of nine and is now a finalist in the Miss Universe Great Britain 2026 pageant. She is the youngest with two big brothers, Volney and Verney. She studied in Goa up to Class 3 at Mary Immaculate Girls’ High School, Panjim. “I lived with extended family, uncles, aunties, grandparents. My father and my brother moved a couple of years before and then we joined them in 2006,” says Valankie about her roots in Goa, a place she holds close to her heart.
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Earlier, the family used to visit Goa every four or five years, but since 2023 Valankie has been travelling back every year, mainly in December, as many of her friends are Goans and there are several weddings during that time. “I’ll be down this year as well in December,” she says.
She got married in May 2025, and her husband is from St Cruz in Goa but is also based in the UK. Speaking about Miss Universe, she explains that the main pageant does not have any marital status requirement. She describes Miss Universe more as a brand and platform rather than a marital title.
At the start of this year, her pageant journey formally began. As part of the application process, candidates had to list everything they bring to the table, including educational background and extracurricular activities. The process included a training day and a brunch session to meet the other finalists. Participants were trained in catwalk techniques, interview skills, and overall presentation ahead of the finals in Wales. “You have to do a catwalk for the judges. You’re competing with all the other applicants that got through. You get three minutes to answer a question and based on that, you get put to the finals,” she explains. Around 40 finalists made it through the process. She adds that most other participants are typically winners of regional pageants, although having prior pageantry experience is not a strict requirement.
“In the UK format, there are no sub-sectors or regional rounds. Applicants from across the country submit their applications, and the organisers select candidates for interview. From there, they are shortlisted for the next stage of the competition. We are also required to take part in charitable initiatives as part of the pageant. I am currently organising a charity fundraiser event in May. Every participant must be involved in some form of charitable work and fundraising. The organisers guide the contestants on the type of fundraising. The charity partnered with Miss Universe Great Britain is called ASisterhood, a non-profit organisation that works with various charities across the world. It also supports organisations in India, including Stop Acid Attacks, which is one of the charities that receives distributed funds,” she informs.
A practising solicitor, Valankie also shared that she has no formal pageantry experience. However, she previously won Clube Nacional Queen 2025 as part of the traditional New Year’s Dance 2025 organised by Clube Nacional in collaboration with Clube Vasco Da Gama. “I do a bit of social media and initially felt that I was lacking confidence on stage, especially due to stage fright. It was my mother who suggested I enter the pageant. Although reluctant at first, I decided to give it a try. After going through the process, I found it motivating and decided to continue, as I realised the competition is not just about beauty but also about substance, communication skills, background, and self-expression,” says Valankie, who recently attended her first ever pageant as a guest as she watched Miss Wales 2026 winner be crowned to represent Wales in Miss World 2027.
Valankie also spoke about her early years in Swindon, where there were fewer Goans compared to today, though a community was still present. She found the transition challenging at first, especially adjusting to the schooling system and English accents. “When we came to Swindon, there were quite a few Goans, but the culture was a lot different than it is today. The schooling system, especially with the English accent was a challenge. I knew how to speak English, but it’s trying to get used to the accent. At the start, it was a bit hard, but as a child, you just tend to absorb things really quickly. It was character building. It was easy to make friends, because when I joined, the way that it works over here is that you get given buddies. I got assigned two buddies and one of them was a Goan and she’s still my friend, Analie. We’ve been friends since primary school and she’s one of my close friends. Once you make friends, the rest of the community welcomes you. I’m actually very thankful that Swindon did have a strong Goan community. It helped make things a lot easier,” says Valankie.
Looking ahead, she will go through the final stages of the competition, which include an interview round with judges, a swimwear round, and a ramp walk in gowns. If she reaches the top five, she will face a final on-stage question. “I don’t know what questions they’re going to ask, but you have to prove that you’re worthy of the title of Miss Universe Great Britain. Training has already been provided on how to approach questions, including catwalk and interview preparation. However, much of the preparation is self-driven, involving personal practice and research. Two days before the finals on July 11 in Wales, we will undergo a full training day as part of final preparations,” concludes Valankie with optimism.
