Debutantes put on a glamorous display as they attended Queen Charlotte’s ball at One Great George Street in London last night.
The glitzy event, touted as the most prestigious in the country, is the pinnacle of the London season, which was formed over two hundred years ago when the custom of returning to the capital at the end of the hunting season was celebrated with glittering balls and high society events.
In its modern form, the ball sees well-to-do families enjoy a lavish feast and fine champagne before an evening of dancing, with tables starting at £2,500.
The debutantes, who are all aged between 17 and 20, and were all carefully selected by organisers, celebrated their year of fundraising for charitable causes including the NSPCC and MacMillan Cancer Relief.
The event saw them making their society debut in white dresses ands gloves, with sparkling tiaras and jewels adding a touch of bling to their stylish outfits.
Debutantes put on a glamorous display as they attended Queen Charlotte’s ball at One Great George Street in London last night
The debutantes, who are all aged between 17 and 20, and were all carefully selected by the organisers, celebrated their year of fundraising for charitable causes including the NSPCC and MacMillan Cancer Relief
In its modern form, the ball sees well-to-do families enjoy a scrumptious feast and fine champagne before an evening of dancing, with tables starting at £2,500
King George III introduced Queen Charlotte’s Ball in 1788, to celebrate his wife’s birthday, and debutantes were traditionally presented to the King or Queen.
This continued until 1958, when Prince Philip branded the event ‘b***** daft’ and Princess Margaret complained that ‘every tart in London was getting in’.
After 1958, the ball was held sporadically at various exclusive venues in the capital, with varying degrees of success, before being relaunched in 2009.
It has been held annually since, albeit without its royal seal of approval.
Lady Howard de Walden, followed by then editor of Tatler, Peter Townsend, continued the tradition and on his death, Peter nominated former debutantes Jennie Hallam-Peel and Patricia Woodall to take over the running of The London Season on a voluntary basis as a non profit organisation.
The glitzy event, touted as the most prestigious of the country, is the pinnacle of the London season. The debutantes all attend the ball’s opening in lavish bridal dresses
All attendees seemed in great spirits as debutantes impatiently waited for their chance to glide down the stairs of One Great George Street and make their society debut
The debutantes waited upstairs in their lacy gowns and evening gloves (left) some making the final arrangements to their outfits (right)
The debutantes, often accompanied by their father or significant men in their lives, all looked resplendent in their white gowns (pictured, a debutante with her escort)
Orderly lines formed at the top of One Great George Street’s marble staircase as debutantes finally prepared to be introduced to London society
Excited debutants chatted amongst themselves and with their fellow guests as they prepared to make their grand society debut
The London Season runs for six months of the year, and includes sporting events, cocktail parties, dances and concerts. The Ball is the pinnacle of the season.
Each debutante will have been rigorously interviewed before they are selected, to ensure they are intelligent, have particular core ethics, and have either aristocratic or professional backgrounds.
Prior to the event, older debutantes are on hand to guide and critique the girls on their dress, dancing and pace around the ballroom. On the day itself, an army of professional hair and make-up artists are on hand to make sure that the girls are glowing, setting off perfectly coiffed up ‘dos with diamond studded tiaras and precious jewellery on loan from Harrods, Van Cleef & Arpels.
The ‘deb of the year’ is chosen according to ‘who has worked hardest’ during fundraising activities throughout the season and shown the most enthusiasm.
After the ceremony the ladies are allowed to change into a dress of their choosing for the after party – with most years leading to tales of debauchery and behaviour most unfitting for a lady.
With her train spreading on a sofa, a debutante took some time to rest as she and her friends prepared to dance the night away
A kilted attendee looks jovial as he passed one of this year’s stylish debutantes, whose lacy train swept the floor as she went upstairs
Upstairs, one debutante rehearsed her dance moves with her date one last time before taking to the actual dance floor in front of the others
This year’s male attendees, who impatiently waited for their dates to make their appearance, looked dapper in their tuxedoes last night
With a drink of champagne at hand, these well-to-do handsome young men were seen waiting patiently for the moment they would be able to take their dates for a turn around the room
Two debutantes armed themselves with a sabre in order to cut the Queen’s Charlotte cake during the ball, one of the event’s traditions
One of the debutante was seen trotting down the stairs. Her date almost stole the show with his diamond encrusted evening shoes
As the evening progressed, debutantes relaxed and took a breather on the stairs, chatting with each other and taking the moment in
A doe-eyed debutante posed for the camera during the evening, her silk gloves reaching halfway up her forearms and her hair styled into a sleek down do
Two debutantes looked up after they were spotted chatting on the stairs, their trains spreading around them on the steps and mixing with the other attendee’s dresses
An enthusiastic debutante, dressed in a vintage dress with lacy sleeves, waves at the camera from One Great George Street’s balcony
One for the books! A debutante was seen immortalising the event with a friend, posing for a quick selfie she took with her phone
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