Former Miss Universe Iris Mittenaere Opens Up About Breakup and Societal Pressures at 31

Iris Mittenaere and Diego El Glaoui decided to separate for various reasons, including social pressure. "I separated at 31, so I feel it. And even I put that pressure of time on myself," explained Miss France 2016, a guest on Louise Aubéry’s YouTube channel, alias "MyBetterSelf" on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival. "We grow up like that. We grow up by projecting things, telling ourselves: ’I’m going to get married, then I’m going to have my kids.’" This "painful" breakup is synonymous with mourning for the former Miss. "You mourn the life you had projected for yourself and you almost mourn the imaginary children you had with this person. Because we were at that stage. And frankly, it’s painful."

By separating from the Moroccan businessman after four years of relationship, the former Miss Universe says she preferred not to continue to be in denial. "I said to myself: ’Is this the life I want? Do I want to feel bad at certain times, every day, for the next 50 years?’ The answer was no. I even said to myself: ’I’d rather not have kids.’ When you realize that ultimately it’s not the right person, it’s better to stop and not continue to be in denial and go too far in that denial because afterwards you have more complicated consequences," she explained.

After this breakup, Iris Mittenaere now looks at life differently. She "tries to be well with" herself. "I’ve needed to live through a couple for too long. I look for my value in someone else’s eyes, all the time," she confessed. And to conclude: "First, we try to be well with ourselves, and the rest will come later. [...] Love, you don’t necessarily find it in your couple."