PAGEANT POLITICS Dethroned Beauty Queen Reveals Why She Thinks She Lost Title Brittany Boltinhouse, 27, has spoken out after being stripped of her title as Miss North Carolina USA. Instagram/Brittany BoltinhouseBrittany Boltinhouse, 27, who was crowned Miss North Carolina USA 2026 but dethroned weeks later after racist posts resurfaced, has finally opened up about the controversy. A Blaize Productions, the company that produces the Miss North Carolina USA competition, said that the decision “was not based on Brittany Boltinhouse’s political views, religious beliefs, or protected personal viewpoints. Things may happen decades ago, but I am here to talk about the hard-working woman, the woman who was standing there as Miss North Carolina USA. Myla Hadley, 24, the first runner-up, will represent North Carolina in the Miss USA 2026 pageant in Miami later this month.