One of the last major aristocratic social events before World War I, notable for the first royal command performance by North American dancers.
Key Facts
- Date
- 11 June 1914
- Venue
- Kenwood House, London
- Host
- Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia
- Ball attendees
- 2,000 members of society
- Notable guests
- King George V and Queen Mary
- Dance performers
- Maurice Mouvet and Florence Walton
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia organized the ball at Kenwood House to celebrate the coming-out of his daughter Nadejda, who had turned 18, and to honour both his daughters Anastasia and Nadejda before the London social season concluded.
The ball took place on 11 June 1914 at Kenwood House and was attended by 2,000 guests from British and foreign nobility, including King George V and Queen Mary. The evening featured a dinner and a dance demonstration of the tango by Maurice Mouvet and Florence Walton — the first royal command performance by North American dancers — accompanied by a Viennese orchestra.
Queen Mary's specific request to witness the tango marked a notable moment of royal endorsement for a then-controversial dance. The event is historically remembered as one of the last grand aristocratic social gatherings before the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 brought such occasions to an abrupt end.