Had this even occurred some two hundred and seventy years ago, I – or rather my eighteenth-century double – may have recorded it as follows:
Monday 4th December 1736 – On Monday last, I was bidden to Court with their Majesties in attendance. Thus we were to the Palace at Kensington for some festive cheer. The Palace twinkled with lights as we arrived in the winter dark. I thought then that the Palace looked like a little jewel box, with inviting diamonds shimmering as they spilt over the edge.
As I write now for a web-based review, however, it is probably best to describe in less archaic terms how I was transported back in time to a winter soiree in the presence of King George II and Queen Caroline at Kensington Palace in 1736. The event, ‘Strictly Georgian’, was one of the final events of the Historic Royal Palaces ‘Glorious Georges’ season. The event title, obviously designed to appeal to fans of the BBC programme, worked a charm on your intrepid reviewer who is, I must admit, quite an aficionado. I wasn’t going to need much encouragement from the Dancing Master to kick up my heels if I got the opportunity!
As our party approached the palace, it was a beautiful sight in the winter darkness with fairy-lit trees and sparkling windows. As Kensington Palace Gardens close their gates at dusk in the winter months, it really did feel as if we were attending a court event to which only the best in society were admitted. We gave our names to the ‘footman’ on the gate and made our way from footman to footman, each of whom carried (unfortunately battery-operated) torches, before entering the warmth of the palace. My husband and our male guest, both somewhat nervous about the prospect of dancing, made a bee-line for the mulled wine and cider. Duly fortified we then progressed to the reception hall of the palace where a guitar and violin provided appropriate music. There were around 80 guests, some dressed in full Georgian costume and others in modern evening clothes, suits and pretty dresses, which gave the reception a rather eclectic appearance, like an avant-garde opera mashed into a Stanley Kubrick film.
The guests were then split into two groups: mine was gathered around a beautiful Christmas tree to be informed that we had now entered 1736. The anachronism – Christmas trees were, after all, introduced to Kensington Palace by Prince Albert some 120 years in the hypothetical future – was ignored, such was the good cheer amongst the guests. We were then taken through to a conference room and introduced to Mrs Hester Booth (née Santlow), the famous dancer of the period, and her renowned partner Monsieur Desnoyer, Dancing Master to their Royal Highnesses. Mrs Booth’s alter-ego was Moira Goff, the dance historian and brains behind the recent ‘Georgians Revealed’ exhibition at the British Library.
After having a minuet called ‘Queen Caroline’ demonstrated to us, we were all invited to form groups of eight and try our hands (and feet) at a cotillion dance of the period. These dances were performed in a square, with the four couples each forming a side, with ladies to the right of the gentlemen. Monsieur Desnoyer proved to be an excellent teacher, even if his accent was more of one born within the sound of Bow Bells than those of Notre-Dame!
We were hard at work on our cotillion when King George and Queen Caroline made their appearance and most of the guest remembered to make their reverences. Once their Majesties were seated and the dancing resumed, it quickly became clear that the majority of us were somewhat unpractised, leading to many jokes at our expense from the King and Queen. Although I’m a reasonably practised dancer of cotillions, most guests were not and I found Monsieur Desnoyer’s dexterity in handling the different levels of dancing ability to be excellent.
Dancing lesson over, and their Majesties withdrawn, we were ushered back to the reception room for more drinks and an audience with the Duke and Duchess of Richmond who instructed us on some of the niceties of court etiquette, such as reverences and respect. I thought this pair of re-enactors were also excellent – they had good knowledge of the period and an ability to communicate with a large group of people, some of whom were knowledgeable and some of whom were not. I greatly enjoyed the Duke’s sly references to his ‘genever’ or gin-drinking habit – the Gin Act of 1736, which introduced high taxes on retailers of gin, was badly received by the general populace and led to riots in the streets and was also a notable point of opposition between the Prince of Wales and George II. It seemed that by these references, as well as his Scottish garb (a surprising choice for an event taking place when Jacobites were still regarded with suspicion and not long after the Edinburgh Porteous Riots), the Duke was gently teasing the King, something only a man of his station might do without fear of censure. These small intrigues really added to the atmosphere of the evening.
Our group was then shepherded into the café for a talk with the King’s Royal Cook, who explained menus and etiquette of the period, demonstrating the proper way to drink wine and using a 1660 courtesy book to inform us of the correct table manners for gentlemen. We were then ushered back to the reception hall where their Majesties were waiting to treat us to some light conversation, in which the King expressed his delight that we had chosen his soirée over that of his son. This speech was followed by another demonstration dance by Mrs Booth and Monsieur Desnoyer. Finally, all the company were invited by Queen Caroline to join her to sing ‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful’, a beautiful end to the evening and a festive beginning to the season of Advent.
In previous reviews of Historic Royal Palace events, I have discussed the difficulties in speaking to a range of different audiences, from the serious historian to the merely interested, and also looked at balancing the needs of adults and children. This adult-only event overcame both difficulties: I was as entranced by the evening as my guests and there really did seem to be something for everyone. My only major disappointment was that we used the modern conference facilities and café at Kensington Palace: it would have been really delightful to ascend the William Kent staircases and dance and socialise in the State apartments. The atmosphere in this type of event is always made more conducive if surroundings are period-appropriate, as both costume and surroundings enable the participants to fully immerse themselves in the period. In addition, although guests were encouraged to come in Georgian attire, there were no changing facilities and full Georgian attire on the Underground is a little difficult!
Overall though it was a marvellous event. Discussing the soirée with a member of staff at the end, I was informed it was a new venture for Historic Royal Palaces, since historic learning events for adults do not usually encompass such ‘hands-on’ re-enactment. But all present joined in willingly and merrily. I sincerely hope therefore that more events like this will take place. It was an innovative idea which used historic space in a way that made it both accessible and enjoyable. I really do look forward to my next invitation to Court.
Strictly Georgian was at Kensington Palace on Monday 3rd December 2014. Tickets were £18 per person, over-18s only.