US child pageant company abandons plans for Cork and Dublin events

The boss of a contentious US child pageant company has abandoned plans to stage contests in Dublin and Cork next month — and will now host just one event in Belfast.

Texas-based Universal Royalty had intended to stage three, glitzy ‘Toddlers & Tiaras’-style events across Ireland in September, as a follow-up from its debut child beauty competition in this country last year.

But a cool response from hoteliers and venue bosses in the Republic has forced company boss Annette Hill to scale back plans to just one event in Belfast on September 20.