Royal Caledonian Ball

Royal Caledonian Ball
Genre Charity ball
Frequency Annually
Venue Grosvenor House Hotel
Location(s) 86-90 Park Lane
London W1K 7TN
Country United Kingdom
Inaugurated 1849 (1849)
Founder George, Duke of Atholl
Anne, Duchess of Atholl
Previous event 1 May 2015
Attendance 1,300+ (record set in 1980s)
Patron(s) Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Katharine, Duchess of Kent
Organised by Royal Caledonian Ball Trust Committee
People Charles, Earl of Kinnoull (president)
Merlin, Earl of Erroll (vice president)
Website
royalcaledonianball.com

The Royal Caledonian Ball is a ball held annually in London for the benefit of Scottish charities. With few exceptions, the Royal Caledonian Ball has been held annually since 1849, and is the oldest charity ball in the world.[1] It is considered the highlight of the London season.[2]

History

The ball dates to the 1840s, when George, Duke of Atholl and his wife Anne wanted to entertain their Scottish friends residing in London.[3] By 1849, it had become a fundraiser for Scottish charities helping vulnerable schoolchildren, the homeless, and cancer patients.[3]

The Royal Caledonian Ball has been held every year, except during the Boer War, World War I and World War II, and following the death of King Edward VII on 6 May 1910.

The ball has been under the royal patronage since Edward VII. Since the 1930s, the event has been held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, London.[4] The Queen is often in attendance.[5]

In recent years, the ball has been featured in the Bystander section of Tatler.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]

Dance and dress

The Royal Caledonian Ball dress code stipulates that male attendees wear Highland evening dress, evening tails with white tie, or mess dress. Women should wear floor-length evening dress or mess dress; tartan sashes are encouraged.[1]

The event is known for its Scottish country dancing, and it is traditional for ball attendees to dance every reel:[2][13]

Traditionally, the Duke and Duchess of Atholl are the first couple to start the dance, followed by his private army, the Atholl Highlanders.[5]

Moreover, men wore full evening tartan while women were dressed in while, with a tartan sash.[14] Indeed, it was the only socially acceptable opportunity to wear full tartan outside Scotland.[14]

Charities

The ball supports numerous charities in Scotland and has raised an estimated £3 million since its inception.[15]

Among the charities the ball supports are Queen Victoria School in Dunblane, Erskine Hospital, and St Catherine’s Homeless Project in Edinburgh.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 Ross, Peter (12 May 2013). "The Royal Caledonian Ball keeps it reel in London". The Scotsman. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 "Plenty of space to swing your sporran". The Scotsman. 23 May 2004. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  3. 1 2 Clark McGinn, The Ultimate Guide to Being Scottish: Put Your First Foot Forward, Luath Press, 2014, p. 245
  4. ↑ "History". Royal Caledonian Ball. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  5. 1 2 'Royal Caledonian Ball: Regimental Reels for Reels', The Glasgow Herald, 22 April 1963
  6. ↑ Bystander: Mayfair: Royal Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 1 July 2008
  7. ↑ Bystander: Mayfair: Royal Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 1 June 2009
  8. ↑ Bystander: Mayfair: Royal Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 1 June 2010
  9. ↑ Bystander: Mayfair: Royal Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 8 June 2012
  10. ↑ Bystander: Mayfair: Royal Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 16 July 2013
  11. ↑ Bystander: Mayfair: The Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 22 July 2014
  12. ↑ Sophia Money-Coutts, The Future of Scotland?, Tatler, 8 December 2014
  13. ↑ "The Reels". Royal Caledonian Ball. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  14. 1 2 Angela Lambert, 1939: The Last Season of Peace, A & C Black, 2011
  15. ↑ "London's Royal Caledonian Ball supports small Scottish charities". The Edinburgh Reporter. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2015.

Coordinates: 51°30′35.0″N 0°09′17.3″W / 51.509722°N 0.154806°W / 51.509722; -0.154806

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