Distinguished guests from 46 countries celebrate Queen Victoria’s 203rd birthday, including Pierce Brosnan’s son
European royalty and aristocracy, high-ranking business leaders, members of the army and diplomats, as well as members of high society such as Prince Jean-Christophe Napoleon and Princess Olympia Napoleon, and Bulgarian Prince Boris Tarnovski, grandson of Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha – this is the society that gathers at the Royal Ball in Versailles on May 21. Guests come from 46 countries for the historic event, organized in honor of Queen Victoria’s 203rd birthday in honor of her participation as a guest of honor at the original Napoleon III Ball in 1855.
The ball is the culmination of three consecutive days filled with events in honor of relations between Britain and France. The events were supported by both governments.
One of Napoleon III’s greatest goals was to bring France and England closer together, striving to create strong economic relations that would serve the two countries for centuries to come and set an example for all other nations. His initiative paved the way for the first modern international trade agreement, the Cobden-Chevalier Treaty.
The reigns of Queen Victoria and Napoleon III heralded a new era in school education, in which equality, progress and access were at the heart of educational reforms. Their mission, founded in 1855, lays the foundations for universal education today. The Royal Ball in Versailles celebrates these great initiatives by inviting all guests to leave their mark in support of education for all children in all countries. All proceeds go to three charities – UNICEF, Street Child and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, which provide educational programs to develop some of the world’s most vulnerable children, including those affected by the war in Ukraine.
Guests of the ball have access to the entire castle, starting with a tour of the royal apartments, the staircase of the ambassador, the Mirror Hall, the Salon of Hercules, the Salon of Venus, the Salon of Mercury, the Salon of Mars, the Salon of Mars, the Salon of Diana, the private apartments of the King and Queen and the royal chapel, as well as a private concert in the Mirror Hall, where Yuri Revich plays the Stradivarius violin “Princess Aurora”.
A walk through the gardens of Versailles follows, with guests moving northwest from the palace to the southern end of the Grand Canal. There, a reception with champagne awaits them on the south ground floor – an area of the palace that Queen Victoria adored and which is included in many paintings from the visit in 1855, which are stored in the archives of the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace.
Dinner and dancing are in the Greenhouse. The site was chosen by the Committee and team of Catherine Pegard, President of Versailles, because of its diplomatic importance and the physical nature of Scottish dances (called Rillings, which were last shown in the palace in 1855 during a visit to the queen).
THE DAYS BEFORE THE BALL
Events are made to deepen
Anglo-French relations
Thursday, May 19:
Exclusive evening with a dress code “black tie” at Airelles Le Grand Controle – the only hotel in Versailles for the patrons of the royal ball. The evening begins with a tasting of cognac by Louis XIII and aromatization of the room by Clive Christian Perfumes. It ends with a 7-course tasting menu by the great French chef Alain Ducas and stunning Queen Jewels table decorations.
Friday, May 20:
Reception at the residence of the British Ambassador. The exclusive event is co-hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce and showcases the best and brightest of Anglo-French innovation and trade, providing a platform for networking and relationships. The Bonams Auction House is holding a tender to raise funds for charitable causes. Boris Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Prince of Tarnovo, donated a handmade sculpture to the auction. Turkish designer Duigu Ai also donated her art – three dresses inspired by Queen Victoria, Empress Eugenie and a modern interpretation of the Queen of the XXI century.
* The author participates in the organization of the Royal Versailles Ball as a leader of PR and partnerships.
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