Devonshire House Ball, 1897

The Royal Family joined the British Aristocracy for the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire’s legendary Ball at Devonshire House in London on this day in 1897 (125 years ago), which was considered a highlight of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations. The theme was “allegorical or historical costume before 1815” led by the Duke of Devonshire, dressed as The Emperor Charles V, and the Duchess of Devonshire, as Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, with the guest costumes roughly divided into ‘Orientals & Ancients’, Italians, and costumes from the Court of Queen Elizabeth I, King Louis XIV, Empress Maria Theresa of Austria and Empress Catherine II of Russia, with around 200 of the guests being photographed.

Today is the 120th Anniversary of the Devonshire House Ball
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The Royal Family were represented by the Prince of Wales, as Grand Master of the Knights Hospitallers of Malta, and Princess of Wales as Queen Marguerite de Valois (in her Pearl and Emerald Necklace), the Duke of York as the 3rd Earl of Cumberland and the Duchess of York as a Lady of the Court of Marguerite de Valois (wearing the Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara), the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, the Duke and Duchess of Fife (wearing her Diamond Floral Tiara), Prince Charles and Princess Maud of Denmark (in her Drapers’ Company Brooch), and Princess Victoria of Wales (wearing Queen Maud’s Pearl Tiara).

Foreign Royalty included the Duke and Duchess of Teck (wearing the Teck Diamond Hoop Necklace and her Sapphire Stomacher), Prince Alfred of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Grand Duke Mikhail Mikhailovitch of Russia and the Countess de Torby Prince Victor Duleep Singh, and Princess Daisy of Pless

Some costumes from the Devonshire House Ball of 1897: Jennie Churchill as Empress Theodora; the Duke of Devonshire as one of Holbein’s Ambassadors; Daisy, Countess of Warwick as Marie Antoinette; and Lord Rosebery (ex PM) as Horace Walpole https://t.co/AujwVYUI0E pic.twitter.com/Ii4xTuhzPt
— Dan Jackson (@northumbriana) December 22, 2020

Guests in their costumes for the 1897 Devonshire House ball pic.twitter.com/2kcsYl7Qwn
— Search (@NameSearch_) March 31, 2022

Excited to get started on my dissertation! I'm pursuing my interest in fancy dress by delving into the Devonshire House Ball (1897). Currently mesmerised by the Duchess of Portland's costume, 'Duchess of Savoy'. 😍 pic.twitter.com/CFjgjsE1ZT
— Gabriela Fernandez (@femmesoffashion) February 10, 2022

Much of the leading members of the British Aristocracy made up the rest of the 700 guests, including the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, the Duke and Duchess of Portland, the Duchess of Newcastle, the Duchess of Rutland, Duke of Atholl, Duchess of Buccleuch, the Duchess of Manchester, the Duke of Roxburghe, the Marquess and Marchioness of Londonderry (wearing the Londonderry Tiara), the Marquess and Marchioness of Tweeddale, the Earl of Iveagh, the Earl of Rosebery, the Earl and Countess Howe, the Countess of Warwick, the Countess Spencer (in pieces of the Spencer Honeysuckle Tiara), the Countess of Mar & Kellie, the Countess of Yarborough, Earl of Derby, Earl of Dunraven, Earl Farquhar, Countess of Cottenham, Countess of Dudley, the Countess of Stradbroke, Countess of Buchan, Countess Cadogan, Viscount Chaplin, Viscountess Curzon, Baron and Baroness Ampthill, Lady Ashburton, Lady Randolph Churchill, and Lady Arthur Paget among many others.