R'Bonney Gabriel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
R'Bonney Gabriel
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Gabriel in 2023.
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R'Bonney Nola Gabriel
March 20, 1994 Houston, Texas, U.S.
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| Education | University of North Texas (BFA) |
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| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
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| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Hair color | Brown |
| Eye color | Hazel |
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R'Bonney Nola Gabriel (born March 20, 1994) is an American fashion designer and model. She is famous for winning the title of Miss Universe 2022. She was the ninth person from the United States to win this big competition. She was also the oldest person to win Miss Universe at that time.
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Early Life and Education
R'Bonney Nola Gabriel was born in Houston, Texas. Her father, Remigio Bonzon "R. Bon" Gabriel, is from the Philippines. Her mother, Dana Walker, is American. They got married in the Philippines.
R'Bonney grew up in Missouri City and later in Friendswood. She has three older brothers. Her father moved to Washington when he was 25. He later studied psychology and opened a car repair shop. Her mother is from Beaumont.
When she was a child, R'Bonney spent time in Manila, Philippines. She played in the streets and enjoyed watching local parades. She and her family still visit the Philippines for holidays and summer breaks. They often stay in Malate, where her father grew up.
In 2018, R'Bonney graduated from the University of North Texas. She earned a degree in fashion design. She also studied fibers, which are materials used in clothing. Today, she designs eco-friendly clothing and works as a model. She has also taught people how to sew at a non-profit organization.
Pageant Journey
R'Bonney Gabriel started her journey in beauty pageants with Miss Kemah USA 2020. She made it to the top five finalists in that competition.
She then competed in Miss Texas USA 2021. She represented Harris County and finished as the first runner-up. This means she was the second-place winner.
Winning Miss USA 2022
After competing in Miss Texas USA 2021, R'Bonney won Miss Texas USA 2022. This win allowed her to compete in the Miss USA 2022 pageant. She won Miss USA 2022, becoming the first Miss USA with Filipino heritage.
R'Bonney was the second person from Texas to win the Miss Universe title. The first was Chelsi Smith, who won Miss Universe in 1995. After R'Bonney won, some people claimed the competition might have been unfair. R'Bonney said that she would never enter a competition if she knew she would win. She denied that the pageant was rigged.
Becoming Miss Universe 2022
As Miss USA 2022, R'Bonney represented the United States at the Miss Universe 2022 pageant. The event took place on January 14, 2023, in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was originally planned for late 2022 but was moved because of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
R'Bonney was crowned Miss Universe 2022 by the previous winner, Harnaaz Sandhu from India. This made R'Bonney the ninth American to win the Miss Universe title. She is also the fifth Miss Universe winner with Filipino roots. Her victory was the first for the United States since Olivia Culpo won in 2012.
R'Bonney is also the second Asian American woman to win Miss Universe. She was 28 years old when she won, making her the oldest winner at that time.
During her time as Miss Universe, R'Bonney traveled to many countries. These included Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Guatemala, the Netherlands, South Africa, Honduras, Belize, Mexico, France, El Salvador, and her home country, the United States.
On November 18, 2023, R'Bonney Gabriel crowned Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua as the new Miss Universe 2023. The event took place in San Salvador, El Salvador.
See also
In Spanish: R'Bonney Gabriel para niños
