A 71-year-old “Glamour Gran” has said “this is only the beginning” after having an “amazing” experience despite missing out on the top spot at a Miss Great Britain beauty pageant.
Ann Marie Harper, from Ayrshire, Scotland, made history as the oldest contender to reach the national final through a regional heat in the pageant’s 81-year history.
Best known by her alias Glamour Gran Ann, the septuagenarian competed in the Ms Great Britain Classic category at the competition on Friday night and was given the “impact over image” award.
The Classic is open to women aged 45 and over, meaning she was pitted against rivals up to 26 years her junior.
Ann Marie Harper did not finish in the top five in her category (Ryan McDougall/PA)
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Ally Sussex, from Surrey, took the crown after three previous attempts.
The other categories on the night were Miss Great Britain and Ms Great Britain, won by Yazmin McClean of Belfast and Holly Pirrie of Warrington respectively.
Speaking to the Press Association on Saturday, Ms Harper said: “I’m still on a high, I can’t come down, it’s been absolutely wonderful.
“Everything about it was absolutely… it was just amazing, and walking on that stage was just something else.
“Being 71 years of age and being there, it was phenomenal, and more older people are coming forward and saying ‘I’m going to do that’. That makes me so happy.
“This is only the beginning.”
She added: “The beautiful girl that won it, she deserved it, she deserved every bit of it.
“We all just love each other, whoever won, it didn’t matter, it’s not about the winning it’s about the taking part.”
Ms Harper has used her participation to champion age positivity, confidence and greater visibility for older women while raising awareness of causes close to her heart, including her chosen charity Clasp – an Ayrshire-based organisation which supports older people and works to tackle loneliness and social isolation.
Ms Harper grew up with learning difficulties and said she was told she would “amount to nothing”. She now speaks openly about her struggles with confidence and mental health to help others.
She said: “I’ve gone from being someone who struggled enormously with confidence to representing Scotland on a national stage, making history and receiving an award I am incredibly proud of.”
After receiving her prize, she said: “This award means so much to me because it represents everything I’ve been trying to achieve.
“It’s about having a voice, making a difference and showing women that no matter their age or what they’ve been through, they still have so much to offer.”
Ms Harper launched her own cosmetics brand, which sells a make-up palette called the Glam Goddess Collection, at the age of 66.
She is active on social media and her Instagram and TikTok pages have thousands of followers.