Queen Serena Guo surprised by the announcement (Photo – TOR)
The Pasadena Tournament of Roses has officially crowned Serena Guo as the 107th Rose Queen, a prestigious role she will hold during the upcoming 2026 Tournament of Roses festivities.
By News Desk
The announcement was made during the highly anticipated Announcement and Coronation ceremony, presented by Citizens Business Bank, held on the front steps of Tournament House in Pasadena.
The coronation was led by Mark Leavens, the 2026 Tournament of Roses President, who placed the Mikimoto crown upon Guo’s head. This crown, symbolizing her new role, features more than 600 cultured pearls and six carats of diamonds, adding an extra layer of glamour to this longstanding tradition.
Serena Guo
Serena, a senior at Arcadia High School, was chosen for her exemplary leadership, integrity, and community service. She is the captain of her school’s Congressional Debate Team and an active member of both the Arcadia Speech and Debate Team and the Varsity Volleyball Team. Beyond academics and athletics, Serena serves as a school leadership representative and volunteers regularly at the Arcadia Public Library and Foothill Unity Center. Her passion for public service is evident in her advocacy work, which includes attending legislative conferences and engaging directly with state representatives.
Serena’s academic ambitions reflect her deep interest in law and public policy. She has already gained hands-on experience through an internship at a law firm and plans to pursue a degree in public policy, along with a minor in biomedical engineering, at top universities such as Stanford University, the University of Southern California, or UC Berkeley.
The daughter of Hui Zhou and Wei Guo, and sister to Alyssa, Serena joins a distinguished lineage of young women who have served as the symbolic heart of the Rose Parade for more than a century. Since the first Rose Queen, Hallie Woods, was crowned in 1905, the Rose Queen and her Court have embodied the community spirit, teamwork, and diversity that define the Pasadena Tournament of Roses.
Serena and the Rose Court
In addition to the honor of representing the Tournament of Roses, Serena and the other members of the 2026 Rose Court will each receive a $7,500 educational scholarship. These young women will serve as ambassadors throughout the year, attending community and media events as representatives of the Tournament of Roses, the Pasadena area, and the greater Los Angeles community.
Fans and visitors will have the chance to see Queen Serena Guo and the rest of the Rose Court as they participate in the 137th Rose Parade presented by Honda and the 112th Rose Bowl Game on Thursday, January 1, 2026.
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