Banquets and Balls -Royal and Noble Gatherings : Past & Present

[An Ard Ri]

Banquets and Balls -Royal and Noble Gatherings : Past & Present

In July 1939 only weeks before the outbreak of World War II ,nobles and high society gathered at the Villa Trianon in Versailles for the Circus Ball
Elsie de Wolfe’s Circus Ball at the Villa Trianon in Versailles

In July 1960 Le Bal des Débutantes took place in the Orangery of the Palace of Versailles
Guests included Queen Marie José of Italy, Prince Alexander & Princess Maria Pia of Yugoslavia, Prince Carlos Hugo of Bourbon-Parma among others.
Le Bal at the Palace of Versailles, 1960 - The Royal Watcher

 

[Blog Real]

Ball at the Royal Palace in Brussels in 1958.
Guests included: Crown Prince Constantine and Princess Eugenie of Greece, Crown Princess Beatrix and Princess Irene of The Netherlands, Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy, Princess Isabella d'Orléans, Princess Maria Cristina of Savoy Aosta and Princess Marie-Françoise and Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Parma.

Ball at the Royal Palace of Brussels, 1958 - The Royal Watcher

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rafael Gluz (@z.ulg) View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Royal Watcher (@the_royal_watcher) View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Royal Watcher (@the_royal_watcher) King Baudouin of Belgium was joined by King Leopold III and...

royalwatcherblog.com

 

[maria-olivia]

Thanks for the pictures . King Baudouin danced only with one person : Crown Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands. A lot of critics at that time e .a. concerning Princess Lilian tiara called "the Cathedral"

 

[An Ard Ri]

A look back at the British Ambassadors Ball in Paris in June 1960
Attended by Princess Anne,Princess Alexandra ,Prince Michael and hosted by Sir Christopher and Lady Soames.
British Ambassador's Ball in Paris, 1969 - The Royal Watcher

Today we look back to 1958 and the Ball at the American Embassy in Brussels.
It was attended by King Baudouin,his father (ex King) Leopoold III, the Princes De Rethy ,Prince Albert of Liege!
Banquet at American Embassy in Brussels, 1958 - The Royal Watcher

 

[JR76]

Thanks for the pictures . King Baudouin danced only with one person : Crown Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands. A lot of critics at that time e .a. concerning Princess Lilian tiara called "the Cathedral"

Given the number of young and royal guests I have a feeling that the Gotha matchmakers had planned something.
Do you know if there was ever any attempts to marry off the young king before he met Fabiola?

 

[maria-olivia]

He was dancing with Princess Beatrix, the only one He could not marry.
They spoke about a Princess of Bourbon Parme but we never saw them to gether.
Princess Lilian had a great influence , she was the first Lady of Belgium until the arrival of Fabiola.
A past Minister wrote he was invited to Laeken , Lilian asked him "do you smoke" answer "yes" answer from Lilian " Baudouin give Minister X an ashtray and He did it..

 

[An Ard Ri]

The late queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh both attended the ‘Royal Scottish Piper’s Society Ball’ in July 1982 at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Queen at Royal Scottish Piper's Society Ball - The Royal Watcher

The then Princess Elizabeth attended the Royal College of Nursing Ball at the Savoy Hotel in London in June 1951.
Lord Mountbatten was also in attendance.
Ball at Savoy Hotel, 1951 - The Royal Watcher

 

[An Ard Ri]

The King,Queen and Princess Margaret attended the glittering Coming Out Ball in July 1959 at Londonderry House in Park Lane,London.
Ball at Londonderry House, 1949 - The Royal Watcher

The July 1981 Gala at Claridge’s Hotel in London
Attended by Queen Elizabeth ,Queen Silvia ,The Empress Farah ,Princess Grace of Monaco and Nancy Regan.
Gala at Claridge’s Hotel, 1981 - The Royal Watcher

 

[An Ard Ri]

Queen Anne-Marie of Greece's 40th Birthday Gala at Claridge’s Hotel in London in July 1986.
The late Queen ,the Prince and Princess of Wales ,Duchess of York,Duchess of Kent ,Prince and Princess Michael ,Princess Alexandra were all in attendance.

Greek Royal Family’s Ball in London, 1986 - The Royal Watcher

The Anglo-Danish Society’s Dinner and Dance at the Dorchester Hotel in London,from October 1964
HRH Princess Margaret and HRH Princess Elisabeth of Denmark were both present.
Anglo-Danish Society Dinner in London, 1964

The 1966 Belgian Chamber of Commerce Ball in London took place in late October of that year and was attended by the then Prince and Princess of Liege (Albet and Paola)
Belgian Chamber of Commerce Ball in London, 1966

 

[An Ard Ri]

The Anglo Spanish Society Ball from November 1987 at Syon House in London.
It was attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales and The Infanta Elena of Spain.
Anglo-Spanish Society Ball in London, 1987

The Gala Performance at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris in December 1964.
It was attended by the newlywed , Prince Carlos Hugo of Bourbon-Parma and , Princess Irene of The Netherlands along with others including ,Prince Edouard de Lobkowicz and Princess Marie-Françoise of Bourbon-Parma.
Gala Performance in Paris, 1964

The then Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh both attended the Royal Navy Malta Ball in Valetta in December 1950.
Royal Navy Ball in Malta, 1950

 

[An Ard Ri]

The Bal Des Petits Lits Blancs on the Liner France in Le Havre in January 1962 , it was attended by the then Prince and Princess of Liege ,Prince Alexandrt and Princess Maria Pia of Yugoslavia, Prince Michael and Princess Yolande of Bourbon Parma, and Audrey Hepburn.
Bal Des Petits Lits Blancs, 1962

 

[An Ard Ri]

The May 1935 Gala Ball to mark the Silver Jubilee of George V and Queen Mary at Buckingham Palace.
King George V’s Silver Jubilee Ball

 

[An Ard Ri]

Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and Princess Christina of Sweden both attended the opening of the Holland Festival in Scheveningen in June 1964.
Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and Princess Christina of Sweden at the Holland Festival, 1964

 

[Hans-Rickard]

Let’s hope King Carl XVI Gustaf will host a grand 80:th birthday gala next year with royal and presidential guests from near and far !

Wich may be his last chance as there is no guarantee you make it to 90. And if you do, there is no guarantee you’re in a state to host a gala at 90…

 

[An Ard Ri]

Let’s hope King Carl XVI Gustaf will host a grand 80:th birthday gala next year !

Wich may be his last chance as there is no guarantee you make it to 90. And if you do, there is no guarantee you’re in a state to host a gala at 90…

He has held some very grand ones for other milestones so lets hope he marks his 80th in similar style.

 

[Hans-Rickard]

He has held some very grand ones for other milestones so lets hope he marks his 80th in similar style.

His 50:th was very grand…. His 40:th, 60:th and 70:th not as grand as the 50:th but still very grand… So my expectations are high…

He has also (unlike his grandfather) always invited royal and presidential guests from all over the world for his round birthdays, and not just the nordic heads of state wich has been the case for other major milestones..

 

[An Ard Ri]

In July 2000,Prince and Princess Michael of Kent thew a joint 21st and 20th Birthday Fancy Dress Ball at Kensington Palace to mark the birthdays of Lord Frederick Lady Gabriella Windsor .
Kent Ball at Kensington Palace

 

[Stefan]

His 50:th was very grand…. His 40:th, 60:th and 70:th not as grand as the 50:th but still very grand… So my expectations are high…

He has also (unlike his grandfather) always invited royal and presidential guests from all over the world for his round birthdays, and not just the nordic heads of state wich has been the case for other major milestones..

There have been white tie Dinners for the 50th and 60oth birthday. And for the 70th a black tie Dinner were tiaras were worn by the Ladies.
As the King and Queen will also celebrate their golden Wedding anniversary next year i wonder if there will be 2 big celebrations which i doubt as they are only 3 months apart or a combined celebration or if the Golden wedding anniversary will only be celebrated private and in a small Family circle (which seems to be the norm with the royal Couples who have reached it, they only who celebrated it public were Queen Ellizabeth II. and Prince Philip and King Harald and Queen Sonja)

 

[Hans-Rickard]

There have been white tie Dinners for the 50th and 60oth birthday. And for the 70th a black tie Dinner were tiaras were worn by the Ladies.
As the King and Queen will also celebrate their golden Wedding anniversary next year i wonder if there will be 2 big celebrations which i doubt as they are only 3 months apart or a combined celebration or if the Golden wedding anniversary will only be celebrated private and in a small Family circle (which seems to be the norm with the royal Couples who have reached it, they only who celebrated it public were Queen Ellizabeth II. and Prince Philip and King Harald and Queen Sonja)

I suspect The King’s 80:th birthday will be the big public celebration…

Their golden wedding anniversary on friday 19:th june falls on midsummer eve, sweden’s biggest public celebration when most people either are off-duty or makes sure to be off-duty and gathers with family and/or friends - so i suspect their wedding anniversary will be celebrated privately among family and friends… Maybe at Solliden

 

[An Ard Ri]

Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia celebrated his 50th birthday with a gala at Calridge's Hotel in London in July 1995.
Guests included : Queen Elizabeth II,the king and queen of Sweden, the Queen of Denmark ,King and Queen of Greece ,the king and queen of Roumania, Crown Princess Victoria,the Infanta Elena ,duchess of Lugo, Princess Tatiana Radziwił and Prince and Princess Michael of Greece.
Crown Prince Alexander’s 50th Birthday Gala

 

[Elly C]

That’s quite a gathering. Thanks for posting I haven’t seen these photos before.

 

[An Ard Ri]

That’s quite a gathering. Thanks for posting ai haven’t seen these photos before.

It wasn't long after the Wedding of Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece and Marie-Chantal Miller and the Prince was also born at Calridge's Hotel in London in 1945.