In 1983, Sarah-Jane Hutt became the fifth British woman (the fourth to complete her year of reign), and the second from Dorset, to be crowned Miss World. More than four decades later, she remains the most recent contestant from the United Kingdom to win the coveted title. As she prepared to crown her successor, Sarah-Jane reflected on the unforgettable experiences, challenges, and highlights of her remarkable year as Miss World. Here is what she had to say:

“As a young girl, I viewed Miss World as a very special fairy tale. On November 17th, 1983, my fairy tale turned to reality, I became Miss World.

Two weeks prior to this, I had arrived in London to meet seventy-one other girls from all points of the globe to spend a very special, fun-filled time with them, leading up to the contest. The first few hours were spent in total awe of all these stunning, confident young women. But, as we gradually came to know each other, their beauty was noticed to come from within and all thoughts of the “competition” were totally forgotten.

Over the next two weeks, we were treated like royalty by the organisers and Press and were thoroughly spoiled with trips to the ballet, theatre and all great historical places of interest in London. Even the Final night, with all the nerves and anxieties, was extremely friendly and enjoyable. However, by this time, it was impossible for any one of us to single out somebody as being more special than the others to be the winner. So, by us, it was just treated as a wonderful finale to the fabulous past two weeks.

After a fantastic Show, at 10.00pm, the result was announced… I had won! The shock was immediately replaced by overwhelming emotions of pride and reality. The applause and the cheers were tremendous, something I will never forget.

The next few days were a whirlwind of flashbulbs, questions and congratulations. My home was swamped with cards and telegrams from thousands of people, known and unknown. It was a great event for my home town of Poole, Dorset, in particular, for another reason. In 1964 (the year I was born) the Miss United Kingdom of that year, Ann Sidney, also won Miss World, and I was now living a few streets away from where she lived at that time.

After a few short days’ rest at home my first trip abroad took me to El Salvador along with Julia Morley, a very sincere, special lady, now a dear, warm friend for whom I have much admiration. In El Salvador, I began to learn from experience the sort of events in which I would be involved during my year of office, meeting Presidents, Governors and Mayors.

To me, the most rewarding and important part of that year was the work we did with the children. The countries I visited included Grenada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Colombia, Guatemala, Poland, Iceland, Ireland, Belgium, France, USA, Japan and Hong Kong. In most of these countries we had “Miss World Fashion Shows” to raise money for the children of those countries. We also had the amazing opportunity of visiting many children in their own homes and also hospitals. These experiences were usually happy, fun times but sometimes sad too. We would play and talk with the children and enjoy their pleasure in seeing us and the beautiful crown I wore for them.

My favourite pastime in the South and Central American countries was to learn more of a special party tradition they have involving a huge paper cartoon character called a “piñata”. This was filled with sweets and toys for the children. It was then hung on a tree and one child was blindfolded and had to hit the piñata with a stick to break it for the goodies to fall out. As the sweets fell, so the other children would dive to the ground to retrieve them. I spent many good times this way, I do not know who enjoyed it most, them or me!

One thing that never ceased to surprise me, in every country we visited, was the enthusiasm of all the children, no matter how sick they were. They were always cheerful and contented with what they had.”

In every country I was treated with the utmost respect and was very well looked after. In El Salvador, Grenada, Jamaica and Colombia we toured through most of the main cities doing shows and making appearances and each time became part of a large family with the other models and everybody made us feel at home.

In Guatemala, I will always remember one very special family who opened their home to me and made me feel so welcome and they are Mr. Harris Whitbeck and his fabulous children, Suzanne who was Miss Guatemala in 1982, John and Harris-Lee. Julia and I had a wonderful time in their lovely country and were shown some of the magnificent beauty spots there by the Whitbeck family to whom I send my heartfelt thanks.

My visit to Grenada aboard HMS Plymouth was my first to the Caribbean. This beautiful Island was enhanced by the charming inhabitants and the welcome from the children singing sweet songs of pride for their homeland.

Poland, although only two days were spent there, was extremely interesting. We were shown exquisite palaces and similar places of great historic interest. We also visited a children’s home which was unforgettable. The tiny children there had heard only a few days before that we were going to visit and they had specially learnt an old British sea shanty, “My Bonny lies over the Ocean”. Julia and I taught them the swaying actions to the song and we all held hands and sang all afternoon. It was a very nice feeling that we could all communicate in this way.

I was pleased to be invited to Iceland as it meant I could renew old friendships with Oonah, Miss Iceland 1983 and her family who are all charming. During my visit I attended the Miss Iceland contest which was a very enjoyable evening. Iceland is a very unusual place visually but I loved the little, brightly-painted houses and again, everyone I met made me feel so at home.

Ireland was another special trip for me as I had shared a room with Miss Ireland, Patricia Nolan, during the Miss World Contest and she really is great fun. It was so nice to actually meet her in her homeland and thus be able to appreciate all the wonderful things she had told me about this lovely country.

Visits to Belgium and France were also very short but no less enjoyable and I very much appreciated the kindness and warmth of the people there.

This year was the first time Miss World had completed an extensive visit to the United States of America. Originally, it was for the purpose of promoting this year’s Contest which was to be transmitted by the Turner Broadcasting System from Atlanta, via cable to the major cities in the USA. Although we were extremely busy, I was intrigued by the difference between each city, everyone was very friendly but some were so much more business orientated, whereas others were more fun and had more history to them. During our tour, we visited New Orleans, which had amazing food and the old jazz band history and French Quarter were very apparent.

By coincidence, however, the visit to the States happened to be during a time when a big charity dinner was being held in Los Angeles, to raise money for the Lifeline Programme of Variety Clubs International, the great children’s charity which Miss World has supported over twenty years. Nancy Reagan, First Lady of America was to be the guest of honour and the object was to raise over a quarter of a million dollars to bring children from Third World countries for urgent heart surgery in hospitals throughout the USA. The funds raised were only a tiny contribution towards the cost of saving over 100 children. The doctors all gave their services free. I was proud to be invited to attend the dinner, to be introduced to Nancy Reagan and to find that as a result of the visit a child was brought from Gibraltar to London where the doctors from the National Heart Hospital and the Harley Street Clinic gave their services free to save the little girl’s life. The basic hospital costs reduced by the Harley Street Clinic, were paid for from the “Life Line” funds raised at the dinner.

At the time of writing this article I still have yet to visit Japan, Hong Kong, all of which I am thoroughly looking forward to for my final trip to Asia.

This year has been an incredible experience that I will never forget. I have met so many fabulous people in every part of the world. I would sincerely like to thank everyone I have met on my travels for being so kind and warm-hearted and most of all for making their home my home.

Also thanks to a very special group of people in London, the Miss World office. Thank you Terri, Julian, Ray and Linda for making everything so much easier for me and so much more fun.

The next part is so very difficult to express in words alone. It is to a wonderful, caring family, the Morley’s. Thanks to Julian, Michael, John and Stephen for putting up with me in your home on so many occasions. Also to a very beautiful and special young lady, Kathryn, for being my friend and for all the laughs we have had and will have in the future. Thanks, too, Mr. Morley for everything you have enabled me to do in the past year.

Now to the most important person I worked with during my year, Julia. Julia is a remarkable lady. The tremendous feeling she has for others, especially children, could never be expressed in words, it has to be seen. Having worked so closely with her for the last year I know just how caring and special she is. Thank you Julia, for all the great times we have had and most of all, for being a true friend.

I would also like to express my warmest thanks and love to my wonderful family, to my mother, father and brother for putting up with so much, good and bad, and for coping so well. Finally to the extra special person in my life, my fiancé Chris Newman. Thank you for always being there, I could never have managed without.