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]
| Royal Caledonian Ball | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Status | Active |
| 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 |
| Most recent | 10 May 2024 |
| Attendance | 1,300+ (record set in 1980s) |
| Patron(s) | The Princess Royal and The Duke and Duchess of Kent |
| Organised by | Royal Caledonian Ball Trust Committee |
| People | Charles, Earl of Kinnoull (president) Merlin, Earl of Erroll (vice president) |
| Website | royalcaledonianball |
History
editThe ball dates to the 1840s, when George, Duke of Atholl and his wife, Anne, wanted to entertain their Scottish friends residing in London.[2] By 1849, it had become a fundraiser for Scottish charities helping vulnerable schoolchildren, the homeless, and cancer patients.[2]
The Royal Caledonian Ball has been held every year since, except during the Boer War, World War I and World War II; following the death of King Edward VII on 6 May 1910, and during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.[3]
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 was 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
editThe 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]
Originally, men wore full evening tartan while women were dressed in white, with a tartan sash.[13] Indeed, it was the only socially acceptable opportunity to wear full tartan outside Scotland.[13]
The event is known for its Scottish country dancing, and it is traditional for guests at the ball to dance every reel:[14][15]
- Dashing White Sergeant
- Reel of the 51st Highlanders
- Eightsome Reel
- Foursome Reel
- Mairi's Wedding
- Hamilton House
- Duke of Perth
- Inverness Country Dance
- The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh
- Quickstep
- D'ye ken John Peel
Traditionally, the Duke and Duchess of Atholl are the first couple to start the dance, followed by his private army, the Atholl Highlanders.[5]
Charities
editThe ball supports numerous charities in Scotland and has raised an estimated £3 million since its inception.[16]
Among the charities the ball supports are Queen Victoria School in Dunblane, Erskine Hospital, and St Catherine’s Homeless Project in Edinburgh.[14]
References
edit- ^ a b Ross, Peter (12 May 2013). "The Royal Caledonian Ball keeps it reel in London". The Scotsman. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
- ^ a b Clark McGinn, The Ultimate Guide to Being Scottish: Put Your First Foot Forward, Luath Press, 2014, p. 245 [1]
- ^ "Message from our chairman". The Royal Caledonian Ball & Charities Trust. Facebook. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ^ "History". Royal Caledonian Ball. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
- ^ a b 'Royal Caledonian Ball: Regimental Reels for Reels', The Glasgow Herald, 22 April 1963 [2]
- ^ Bystander: Mayfair: Royal Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 1 July 2008
- ^ Bystander: Mayfair: Royal Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 1 June 2009
- ^ Bystander: Mayfair: Royal Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 1 June 2010
- ^ Bystander: Mayfair: Royal Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 8 June 2012
- ^ Bystander: Mayfair: Royal Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 16 July 2013
- ^ Bystander: Mayfair: The Caledonian Ball, Tatler, 22 July 2014
- ^ Sophia Money-Coutts, The Future of Scotland?, Tatler, 8 December 2014
- ^ a b Angela Lambert, 1939: The Last Season of Peace, A & C Black, 2011 [3]
- ^ a b "Plenty of space to swing your sporran". The Scotsman. 23 May 2004. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
- ^ "The Reels". Royal Caledonian Ball. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
- ^ "London's Royal Caledonian Ball supports small Scottish charities". The Edinburgh Reporter. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2015.