What happened to the world's 'most beautiful' boys and girls: As model Thylane Blondeau marries French DJ Ben Attal in Paris, not all were lucky enough to have a happy ending

For 20 years, Thylane Blondeau was known as the 'most beautiful girl in the world', but the French model may have now found a prefix she prefers: 'Mrs'.

Thylane was four years old when she walked the hay-covered runway for Jean Paul Gaultier at the Champs Élysées in 2005.

A cover for Vogue Enfants followed, and captivated readers lauded her as the 'most beautiful girl in the world'.

Yet it was an honour that turned out to be more of a curse than a blessing, with Thylane - now 25 - admitting she struggled to live up to the title and wished only to be seen as a 'human being'.

As she prepares to become the new 'Mrs Attal' following her dreamy Parisian wedding to DJ Ben Attal yesterday, the French model seems determined to look to the future after she was thrust into the spotlight two decades ago.

But it wasn't just Thylane's life that was changed by the 'most beautiful' moniker after her discovery sparked a global craze to find others who fit the title in a world where social media was just taking off.

In 2014, there was a new contender for her crown when eight-year-old Kristina Pimenova was discovered after her mother sent photographs to a modelling agency in [/news/russia-ukraine-conflict/index.html]Russia.

Women Daily magazine declared her the 'most beautiful girl' in the world, while British model Kya-Shae Walker, eight, was compared to Thylane when she started appearing in national ad campaigns in 2019.

While some stories have happy endings, the 'most beautiful' plaudit can also be a heavy cross to bear. Actor Bjorn Andresen - whose delicate features made him a gay icon at the age of 15 - suffered a more tragic fate.

Thylane Blondeau was only four when she walked the hay-covered runway for Jean Paul Gaultier at the Champs Élysées

The model daughter of retired footballer Patrick Blondeau was four years old when she walked down the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier.

Two years later, the six-year-old was named the 'most beautiful girl in the world' by Vogue Enfants and Blondeau earned a Vogue Paris editorial when she was just 10.

However, the photo shoot was criticised for 'sexualising' Blondeau after she was styled in a low-cut gold dress and heels.

Her mother Veronika Loubry, a fashion designer, later defended the cover, telling a French newspaper: 'The only thing that shocks me about the photo is the necklace that she's wearing, which is worth 3 million Euros, or about $4.3 million.'

Blondeau continued modelling and made her adult runway debut in February 2017, when she walked for Dolce & Gabbana at Milan Fashion Week. She was such a success that the famed designer duo invited her back to walk for them again in September 2017.

She was appointed a L'Oreal brand ambassador and signed a slew of endorsements, including for high-end fragrances and fashion.

Since earning worldwide fame as the world's most beautiful girl, she has mingled with the crème de la crème of the industry, including Jourdan Dunn and Gigi Hadid, as well as famous nepo babies like Brooklyn Beckham, who used to live next door to her in the exclusive London neighbourhood of Kensington.

Today, she juggles her career as a model and social media influencer with her role as an entrepreneur - but will undoubtedly now be heading off on an idyllic honeymoon with her new partner.

The French native married Ben in Paris just three months after announcing their engagement on social media, writing 'I said yes to my best friend'.

She looked impossibly chic in a stunning white gown with elegant cape-style detailing as she arrived at the ceremony with her husband.

Thylane wore her brunette hair in a neat chignon and had a soft palette of makeup.

She was carrying a bouquet of white calla lilies while holding out her other hand to her new husband Ben, who looked dapper in a navy suit, as they entered the venue.

Kristina Pimenova from Moscow, Russia, claimed the title of 'the most beautiful girl in the world' at nine years old (pictured)

Now, 20-year-old Kristina (pictured) is studying at drama school with the hopes of becoming an actress

With her piercing azure eyes and long, honey blonde locks, it's not difficult to see how Kristina Pimenova, now 20, from Moscow, was dubbed a 'most beautiful girl' at the age of eight.

Her career exploded when Kristina's image caught attention online in Russia and worldwide and she quickly gained more than 2.1 million likes on Facebook and 315,000 followers on Instagram.

Her portfolio by the age of nine, included Vogue and Armani, yet critics saw a dark side, with one commentator branding a photo of her in shorts as 'creepy' while a male user wrote worryingly: 'I like it'.

Kristina's mother, Glikeriya Pimenova, herself a former model, faced backlash from critics, who claimed that she had sexualised her daughter.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail in 2014, she said: 'I do not accept those accusations about the sexualisation of my child.

'I am certain in my mind all her photographs are absolutely innocent. I have never asked her to take this or that pose, and in fact I must say she does not especially like it when I am photographing her, so I do it quickly and when she doesn't notice.'

'You must think like a paedophile in order to see something sexual in these pictures, so it is time for you to see a doctor.'

The comments failed to deter Kristina from pursuing her career in modelling, and she secured a slew of impressive campaigns for the likes of Vogue, Armani, and Burberry.

Now, more than a decade after she first gained recognition for her looks, the model is studying at drama school with hopes of becoming a professional actress and has appeared in The Russian Bride, Secret Neighbour and Creators: The Past.

In an interview with Avant School she reflected on how she'd been working from an early age, saying: 'Modelling happened naturally for me when I was younger, I was just like, "let's try this", I didn't even know what it was.

'I was just playing around; it was like a game. For me, it was a big part of my childhood. It turned into making friends travelling, so it was just really natural.'

She explained that she was attracted to acting because it allows her to 'be anything I want for a while'.

When she's not behind the camera or on stage, Kristina updates her 2.4 million Instagram followers on her life events, including sharing photographs from a Blackpink concert, where she met the K-Pop stars.

Discussing the backlash against her daughter's modelling career in 2014, her mother Glikeriya said, 'Some years ago I posted a picture of little Kristina on the beach in the Maldives hugging her three soft toys and laughing.

'She was holding all her toys in front of her chest and hugging them, and you know what comments I got to this picture?

''Oh, she is covering her breasts because she thinks she has something to hide!' Can you believe it? I think people who post something like this have serious psychological problems.'