Olivia Culpo has a blend of Italian and Irish heritage, with her father’s side being of Italian descent and her mother’s side having Irish roots.
Olivia Culpo, a 30-year-old model and former Miss Universe of Italian origin, took to her Instagram account on Friday, April 7, 2023, to reveal her engagement to Christian McCaffrey, a 26-year-old running back for the San Francisco 49ers.
The post featured a series of black and white photos of the couple with the caption dated “4.2.23.”
Olivia Culpo’s ethnic background, despite her Italian roots, makes her a proud American and she has represented the United States in various international beauty pageants.
Christian McCaffrey, on the other hand, has ancestry from Ireland, Germany, England, and Scotland and is the son of Ed, a former NFL star, and Lisa McCaffrey, a former Stanford soccer star.
It has been reported that the couple began their romantic relationship in 2019, and they got engaged on April 2, 2023.
While on a brief trip to Utah with their Goldendoodle puppy named Oliver Sprinkles, McCaffrey proposed to Culpo by getting down on one knee.
According to sources, the 26-year-old NFL star proposed with a ring from Ring Concierge.
One of the pictures from the engagement announcement post shows Miss USA 2012 and Miss Universe 2012 wearing a ring that resembles the Whisper Thin style from Ring Concierge.
Several sources have confirmed that Olivia Culpo was indeed wearing a Thin Whisper ring, featuring an oval diamond and epaulet side stones, in the engagement announcement photos.
The ring is crafted from a combination of yellow gold and platinum.
Reports suggest that the diamond in the ring is estimated to be between five to six carats and could cost anywhere between $100,000 to $200,000.
Olivia Culpo’s engagement ring
It is important to note that the official parties involved have not confirmed these details.
Olivia Culpo heritage & cultural background: A glimpse into her Italian-Irish American roots
Of Italian descent, Olivia Culpo is a former beauty pageant titleholder, American model, and actor.
She clinched the ‘Miss Universe’ title in 2012, becoming the first woman from the US to win the crown since Brook Lee in 1997.
Prior to her modeling career, Olivia Culpo was a sophomore at the College of General Studies. She is a trained cello player and has now expanded her horizons by entering the restaurant business.
In partnership with her father, she launched a restaurant in her hometown in addition to her modeling pursuits.
Olivia has also initiated a clothing line in her entrepreneurial endeavors. Furthermore, she has been involved in a few acting and music video projects.
With over 5.3 million followers on her Instagram account, she has a prominent presence as a social media influencer.
Her Instagram page serves as a platform for sharing stunning pictures, accumulating a large fan base.
Olivia Culpo’s career in the modeling industry has been marked by controversy.
Shortly after winning the Miss Universe pageant, she faced allegations of her victory being predetermined by then-pageant owner Donald Trump.
She was also embroiled in a lawsuit over a photo shoot at the Taj Mahal that was deemed inappropriate. Additionally, the media has closely scrutinized Olivia’s romantic relationships.
Despite these challenges, she continues to pursue her career and expand her business endeavors.
Olivia Culpo at Taj Mahal
Meet Olivia Culpo: American model and former Miss Universe
Olivia Frances Culpo was born in Cranston, Rhode Island, on May 8, 1992. While she grew up in the Edgewood neighborhood of Cranston, Olivia Culpo hails from Italian roots.
Peter Culpo, Olivia’s father, co-owns multiple Boston companies, including ‘The Lower Depths Tap Room’ and ‘Parish Café.’
She has two older siblings, Pete and Aurora, and two younger siblings, Sophie and Gus.
Her passion for music began early on, and she started learning to play the cello in the second grade. Olivia’s parents, who were also musicians, had a significant influence on her.
Olivia has had the opportunity to perform with several orchestras, including the ‘Rhode Island Philharmonic Youth Orchestra,’ the ‘Rhode Island Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble,’ the ‘Bay View Orchestra,’ the ‘Rhode Island All-State Orchestra,’ and the ‘Boston Accompaniment.’
She also attended the ‘Brevard Music Center’ in Brevard, North Carolina, for two summers.
She attended St. Mary Academy-Bay View before enrolling at Boston University. Her modeling career took off when she signed a contract with the Boston-based modeling agency Maggie, Inc. in 2010.
Miss Universe made her debut in the beauty pageant circuit in 2012, where she emerged victorious in the Miss Rhode Island USA competition.
She went on to clinch the Miss USA title on June 3, 2012, which qualified her to represent the US at the Miss Universe pageant.
Olivia Culpo’s achievements as a beauty pageant titleholder are commendable. Following her win at the Miss Rhode Island USA competition in 2012, she went on to win the Miss USA title and subsequently represented the United States at the Miss Universe pageant.
Her triumph was celebrated in her hometown, where the mayor awarded her the key to the city.
After her win, Olivia traveled to Indonesia as part of a conference organized by the ‘United Nations Population Fund.’
During her visit, she addressed young Indonesians on HIV prevention and was joined on stage by Whulandary Herman, the ‘Puteri Indonesia 2013.’
On August 25, 2013, a section of Albert Avenue in Cranston, where Olivia had grown up, was renamed in her honor by the city council.
She serves as a spokesperson for initiatives against breast and ovarian cancer, collaborating with organizations such as the ‘Susan G. Komen for the Cure,’ the largest breast cancer association in the US.
Olivia Culpo encountered adversity during her journey
Following her victory in the ‘Miss Universe’ pageant, controversy surrounded Olivia when questions arose regarding the fairness of her win, with many alleging that then-pageant owner Donald Trump had pre-determined it.
This controversy led to her withdrawal from judging the 2015 ‘Miss USA’ pageant.
In 2013, Olivia and the ‘Miss Universe’ officials faced accusations of violating India’s ‘Heritage Act’ by the ‘Archaeological Survey of India’ (ASI).
Olivia had reportedly participated in a promotional photo shoot in front of the Taj Mahal.
The ‘Supreme Court’ of India strictly prohibits any commercial or advertising activities at the Taj Mahal. The Miss Universe committee later issued an apology to the ASI on Olivia’s behalf, acknowledging that the act was unintentional.
