Max Key's girlfriend voted Miss Auckland's most photogenic

Amelia Finlayson and her boyfriend Max Key.

The teenage girlfriend of Prime Minister John Key's son Max last night missed out taking top place in the Miss Auckland beauty pageant.

Instead, Amelia Finlayson had to settle for third runner-up.

But there was a silver lining to the evening as the 18-year-old was voted most photogenic of all 17 contestants vying for the regional title.

Finlayson, whose career ambition is to become a television presenter, featured recently in an intimate holiday video produced by Max Key which was posted on social media.

The young Key was last night on hand at the glitzy Auckland Town Hall event to support his partner.

The competition was won by Karla de Beer, a 22-year-old psychology and English graduate who works in human resources.

Contest organiser Hannah Carson said de Beer stood out as the perfect fit for beauty with a purpose.

"The judges felt that she was level-headed and intelligent and she has a really big heart," she said.

She also scored highly in modelling.

"It could have been so many of them. It was a really tough competition," said Carson.

Max Key and his girlfriend Amelia Finlayson in Hawaii. Key made the headlines this year with his Instagram posts. Photo / Instagram

De Beer, whose chosen charity was Riding for the Disabled, wrote about her love of the city on her competition profile.

"Auckland, to me, is a hub of opportunity, a cosmopolitan melting pot inspiring progress in creative ways."

The newly crowned beauty will now represent the region in next year's Miss World New Zealand pageant.