Julia Evelyn Morley (née Pritchard; born 25 October 1939) is a British businesswoman, charity worker, and former model. She is the chairman and CEO of the Miss World Organization, which organizes the

Miss World Miss World is the oldest existing international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley's widow, Julia Morley, has co-chaired the pageant. Along with Miss Universe, Miss I ...

and

Mister World The Mister World competition is a male beauty pageant sponsored by the Miss World Organisation. The competition was founded in 1996. The entrants compete in various activities including waterskiing, mountain biking, and marathon running. The cu ...

. She is the

widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word can ...

of Miss World creator, the late

Eric Morley Eric Douglas Morley (26 September 1918 – 9 November 2000) was a British TV host and the founder of the Miss World pageant and ''Come Dancing'' TV programme. His wife, Julia Morley, is now head of the pageant and his son Steve Douglas is one of ...

who was in charge of organizing the pageant from its inception in 1951 until his death in 2000.

Life and career

Born in London, she worked as a model, and met Eric Morley, then a director of Mecca Dancing, at a dance hall in

Leeds Leeds () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the thi ...

; the couple married in 1960. She became chairman of Miss World after her husband died in 2000. As chairman of Miss World, she introduced "Beauty With A Purpose", which raises money in support of sick and disadvantaged children. In 2009, Morley used the opening of the Miss World Festival to launch the

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

International Children’s Fund with a Charity Dinner which raised over $400,000 for nutritional, educational and medical projects in

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

. She was conferred with the Priyadarshini Award for her ‘Save the Children’ campaign. In 2016, Morley received the Variety Humanitarian Award. Morley was appointed

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(CBE) in the

2022 Birthday Honours The 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as p ...

for charitable and voluntary services to disadvantaged people in the UK and abroad.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Morley, Julia 1939 births Living people

host A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places *Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County People * Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman * Michel Host ...

Beauty pageant owners English female models British chairpersons of corporations 20th-century English businesswomen English humanitarians Commanders of the Order of the British Empire 21st-century English businesswomen