Many queens have come and gone on RuPaul’s Drag Race. While only 11 of them have managed to snatch the crown so far, there are also 11 who have been awarded the title of Miss Congeniality of their season. The rules for this title have changed over the course of so many seasons, but one thing remains true: these queens are all fierce and unforgettable.
If you’ve ever wondered what those Drag Race Miss Congeniality winners have been up to, now is your chance to find out. From one Nina to another, these queens have been hard at work to conquer the world.
Nina Flowers (Season 1)
Nina Flowers was not only the runner-up of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 1, but she also managed to snatch the title of Miss Congeniality. This Puerto Rican queen from Colorado brought an elevated artistry to the series, but it is fair to say that fans were not quite ready for that type of drag aesthetic yet. Still, Nina Flowers’ unwaveringly kind spirit made her the perfect candidate for winning Miss Congeniality.
These days, Nina Flowers works not only as a drag performer, but also as a very successful DJ. Time and time again, this queen has proven that she can always reinvent herself and have career longevity.
Pandora Boxx (Season 2)
Drag Race has never been easy for Pandora Boxx, a fan-favorite queen who has been consistently misunderstood by the judging panel, despite bringing a great and valid type of drag to TV. After winning the title of Miss Congeniality on Drag Race season 2, she was brought back to compete on All Stars 1, only to be done dirty yet again.
In 2020, Pandora Boxx made a cameo on Netflix’s AJ and the Queen, launched the Boxxed In digital series of shows, and was one of the acts to take part in the Digital Drag Fest livestream.
Yara Sofia (Season 3)
Even a decade later, season 3 Miss Congeniality winner Yara Sofia is still regarded as one of the most creative and lovable Drag Race contestants of all time. She has also remained very close to her season 3 sisters, such as Alexis Mateo and India Ferrah.
These days, Yara Sofia is still a hard-working queen who is touring around the world and performing in a variety of gigs. Despite the fact that the queen did not do very well on All Stars 1, rumor has it that she might be brought back to a future installment of All Stars, just like Latrice Royale and Manila Luzon were invited back to All Stars 4.
Latrice Royale (Season 4)
Latrice Royale is, in many ways, the poster child for the Miss Congeniality title on RuPaul’s Drag Race. After her first appearance on season 4, Latrice competed again on seasons 1 and 4 of the All Stars spin-off.
The incomparable Latrice Royale was the Drag Race alum with the longest story arc and the most lines on Netflix’s AJ and the Queen. On the road, this queen has never stopped touring around the world and even gave fans a few virtual performances during the Digital Drag Fest 2020 livestream.
Ivy Winters (Season 5)
It was hard to not love Ivy Winters every time that this queen came on our TVs, which is precisely what earned her the Miss Congeniality title on season 5 of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Ever since being on Drag Race, Ivy Winters has kept up with her bookings while also dedicating more time to her personal life. On Instagram, Ivy is often seen living it up with her partner and sharing tips about gardening. Since this queen remains one of the very few Miss Congeniality winners who has not competed on All Stars, fans can only hope to see her there one day.
BenDeLaCreme (Season 6)
After the huge outcry that BenDeLaCreme was “robbed” on season 6 of Drag Race, it became pretty evident that she would be awarded the title of Miss Congeniality. On All Stars 3, Ben took her congeniality to an even higher standard – sending herself home instead of eliminating a fellow sister.
BenDeLaCreme is always busy and promoting a variety of projects. During Christmas in 2019, Seattle sisters BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon put on the All I Want For Christmas Is Attention series of shows. Then, Ben went on to promote her Ready To Be Committed solo tour for 2020, which was unfortunately affected by the social distancing guidelines in response to the coronavirus.
Katya (Season 7)
At the time, many fans expressed that they didn’t like season 7 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. However, in hindsight, this is the season that gave us several incredible queens, such as Katya, who won the Miss Congeniality title that year.
It is impossible to list all of Katya’s recent achievements. Most notably, the queen hosts two incredibly successful web series with Trixie Mattel: Netflix’s I Like To Watch and World of Wonder’s UNHhhh. On TV, Katya made cameos on Tales of the City, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and AJ and the Queen. In 2020, Katya’s Help Me I’m Dying comedy special was also aired on LogoTV.
Cynthia Lee Fontaine (Season 8)
Miss Congeniality winner Cynthia Lee Fontaine had to undergo cancer treatment immediately after the taping of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 8. Thankfully, the queen was able to quickly beat cancer and come back to compete on season 9 of the show.
As of late, Cynthia Lee Fontaine has been touring across the country and making occasional cameos on web series that are hosted by her Drag Race sisters. Thankfully, Cynthia’s fun and supportive energy hasn’t changed with time. The queen is still one of the most caring and compassionate Miss Congeniality winners of all time, regularly leaving positive comments on her sister’s social media pages.
Valentina (Season 9)
Valentina may not have gotten to keep that mask on, but their so-called ‘French vanilla fantasy’ has been in full force since her crowning as Miss Congeniality – or fan-favorite, as Aja would like to point out – on Drag Race season 9.
Aside from competing on All Stars 4, Valentina was brought on as a guest on America’s Next Top Model, was cast as Angel on Fox’s Rent: Live musical event, made a cameo on Netflix’s AJ and the Queen, and was featured on season 3 on Netflix’s La Casa de las Flores. In 2020, Valentina was also one of the featured drag performers on Sam Smith and Demi Lovato’s music video for “I’m Ready.”
Monet X Change (Season 10)
Promptly after being awarded the title of Miss Congeniality on season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Monet X Change returned to the franchise to compete on All Stars 4 – which she won in a tie with Trinity The Tuck.
After entering the Drag Race Hall of Fame, Monet X Change landed her very own weekly talk show, The X Change Rate, and started the Sibling Rivalry podcast with season 8 winner Bob the Drag Queen. Between 2019 and 2020, Monet has been traveling around the globe with two major tours: the Werq The World Tour (with various successful Drag Race alumni) and the Sibling Rivalry Tour (with Bob the Drag Queen).
Nina West (Season 11)
Season 11 Miss Congeniality winner Nina West was already a very successful drag queen way before her time on Drag Race. After being on the show, however, this queen was catapulted to new career heights.
In 2019 alone, Nina West released three studio albums: Drag Is Magic, John Goodman, and The West Christmas Ever. At the 2019 Emmy Awards, Nina became the first-ever person to walk the red carpet in full drag. Moreover, the queen has been featured in commercials from Pepsi and Pantene, as well as in promotional materials for films like Charlie’s Angels, Trolls World Tour, and Maleficent: Mistress of the Dark.