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 |
| 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 |
|
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. It is considered the highlight of the London season.
The ball dates to the 1840s, when George, Duke of Atholl and his wife Anne wanted to entertain their Scottish friends residing in London. By 1849, it had become a fundraiser for Scottish charities helping vulnerable schoolchildren, the homeless, and cancer patients.
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. The Queen is often in attendance.
In recent years, the ball has been featured in the Bystander section of Tatler.
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.
The event is known for its Scottish country dancing, and it is traditional for ball attendees to dance every reel:
Traditionally, the Duke and Duchess of Atholl are the first couple to start the dance, followed by his private army, the Atholl Highlanders.
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Wikipedia