Wilnelia Merced

Wilnelia, Lady Forsyth-Johnson (née Merced; born October 12, 1957 in Caguas, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican actress, model and beauty queen who won Miss Mundo de Puerto Rico 1975 and also won Miss World 1975 in London.

She travelled widely during her reigning year and was invited to pre-civil war El Salvador by that country's government. She fell in love with England, which she would later make her home. Winning at 18 years and 39 days she is currently the youngest woman to win Miss World.

After passing on her crown, in 1976, she was signed by Ford Models in New York City. In 1978 a giant poster of her was displayed in Times Square, and she was introduced, in London at the 1980 Miss World competition gala to English television entertainer Bruce Forsyth. Merced and Forsyth married in 1983. While still a public figure at home in Puerto Rico she retired as a model after her wedding. They had a son in 1986. She has a foundation to help Puerto Rico's under-privileged children, for which she organizes charity balls.

Merced lives with her husband and their son, Jonathan Joseph, on the Wentworth Estate in Surrey, England. In 2002, during one of her visits to Puerto Rico, her home was broken into by thieves, who injured one of her maids.

She was guest judge in the final Miss World 1980, Miss World 1983, Miss World 1990, Miss World 1999 in the United Kingdom, Miss World 2005 in China PR, Miss World 2006 in Poland and Miss World 2008 in South Africa.

See also

• List of famous Puerto Ricans
• History of women in Puerto Rico

External links

• Wilnelia Merced at the Internet Movie Database
• Further information about 1975 contest