WATCH | High drama as beauty queen's tiara 'snatched' minutes after crowning

A beauty queen has been left “injured” after her tiara was “snatched” off her head in a dramatic moment captured on camera.

The shocking incident unfolded minutes after Pushpika de Silva was crowned Mrs Sri Lanka 2020 and had her glittery tiara placed on her head by her predecessor and current Mrs World, Caroline Jurie.

Shortly after her crowning, Jurie addressed the crowd, seemingly at the “request” of pageant organisers, and informed audience members that there is a rule preventing divorced women from taking part in the contest.

She then went on to announce the runner-up as the “new winner”, before forcibly removing the crown from De Silva's head.

De Silva has since broken her silence on Facebook, posting a lengthy statement in the wake of the incident.

“Firstly, I would like to give my respect and thanks to the judiciary for choosing me as the winner of the 2020 Married Beauty Queen Crown.

“Secondly, as I think, for the first time in the history of the beauty queen not, in Sri Lanka but in the world, even though my crown has been snatched in front of everyone insultfully [sic], I will keep my head straight at this moment of writing and say that I am proud.”

De Silva confirmed she was left injured by the incident and said she had taken legal action over the matter.

She also denied allegations that she was divorced, saying she would not have dared entered the pageant if this was the case.

She ended her statement by saying that, “a true queen is not a woman who snatches another woman's crown, but a woman who secretly sets another woman's crown”.

Pageant organisers confirmed that De Silva's crown would be returned to her and said they were disappointed by Jurie's “disgraceful” behaviour, People reported.