Bal Costumé of 1851

The ball was held on 13 June 1851 in Buckingham Palace. It was known as the Stuart Ball as it was themed around the English court dress of the restoration.^[1] It has been considered possibly the most prescriptive of the three balls in terms of costume.^[2]

Victoria dress was of the robe de cour fashion, and is considered the most glamorous of her surviving collection.^[3] Unlike the first two balls, the Stuart Ball did not have the express goal of boosting the silk industry of Spitalfieds. Her dress therefore included fabric Banaras brocade woven in Varanasi, and possibly none of its materials were woven in Britain. The ball took place two weeks after the opening of the Great Exhibition and as such the choice of dress served to symbolise Victoria's role beyond Britain, as themes of Empire had been on display in the exhibition.^[2]

As was common among high-profile events of the Victorian royal court, many of the guests were members of high society and the aristocracy. The Duke of Wellington was present dressed as a restoration era field marshal. Foreign guests were encouraged to wear the dress of their respective countries, with the American ambassador dressed as John Winthrop who had led the Massachusetts Bay Colony.^[4]

The antiquarian James Planché, who had published his book, the History of British Dress in 1830, was a costume maker, and he was thus frequently consulted by guests aiming to have historically accurate costumes.^[5]

• Devonshire House Ball of 1897
• Costume party
• Bal Costumé of 1842
• Bal Costumé of 1845