Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach waves after being crowned Miss Universe at the 2015 Miss Universe Pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada Dec 20, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Wurtzbach appeared to take the blunder in her stride.

"It's a very non-traditional crowning moment," she said backstage afterward in a video clip of a conversation with Miss USA posted by the Miss Universe pageant on its Twitter feed. "It is very 2015."

Earlier, when asked why she wanted to be Miss Universe, Wurtzbach said: "I will use my voice to influence the youth and I would raise awareness to certain causes like HIV awareness, that is timely and relevant to my country."

It was the first Miss Universe title for a contestant from the Philippines in more than 40 years.