Social season (United Kingdom)

The social season, or season, refers to the traditional annual period in the spring and summer when it is customary for members of the social elite of British society to hold balls, dinner parties and charity events. Until the First World War, it was also the appropriate time to be resident in the city (generally meaning London) rather than in the country in order to attend such events.

In modern times in the United Kingdom, "the Season" is known to encompass various prestigious events that take place during the spring and summer. According to The Sloaney magazine's online guide "Sloaney Season", it starts with Cheltenham Festival (March), and includes the Grand National (April), The Boat Race (April), Badminton Horse Trials (May), Chelsea Flower Show (May), Epsom Derby (June), Royal Ascot (June), Test matches at Lord's (July), Wimbledon (July), Henley Royal Regatta (July), Edinburgh International Festival (August) and others, ending with Goodwood Revival (September).^[1]

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Welcome to the United Kingdom (and a whole lot more) explained by me, C. G. P. Grey The United Kingdom, England, Great Britain? Are these three the same place? Are they different places? Do British people secretly laugh those who use the terms wrongly? Who knows the answers to these questions? I do and I'm going to tell you right now. For the lost: this is the world, this is the European continent and this is the place we have to untangle. The area shown in purple is the United Kingdom. Part of the confusion is that the United Kingdom is not a single country but is instead a country of countries. It contains inside of it four co-equal and sovereign nations The first of these is England — shown here in red. England is often confused with the United Kingdom as a whole because it's the largest and most populous of the nations and contains the de facto capital city, London. To the north is Scotland, shown in blue and to the west is wales, shown in white. And, often forgotten even by those who live in the United Kingdom, is Northern Ireland shown in orange. Each country has a local term for the population. While you can call them all 'British' it's not recommended as the four countries generally don't like each other. The Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh regard the English as slave-driving colonial masters — no matter that all three have their own devolved Parliaments and are allowed to vote on English laws despite the reverse not being true — and the English generally regard the rest as rural yokels who spend too much time with their sheep. However, as the four constituent countries don't have their own passports, they are all British Citizens, like it or not.They are British Citizens of the United Kingdom — whose full name by the way is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. So where's Great Britain hiding? Right here: the area covered in black is Great Britain. Unlike England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Great Britain is a geographical rather than a political term. Great Britain is the largest island among the British Isles. Within the United Kingdom, the term 'Great Britain' is often used to refer to England, Scotland and Wales alone with the intentional exclusion of Northern Ireland. This is mostly, but not completely true, as all three constituent countries have islands that are not part of Great Britain such as The Isle of Wight, part of England, the Welsh Isle of Anglesey and the Scottish Hebrides, The Shetland Islands, Orkney Islands, Islands of the Clyde. The second biggest island in the British Isles is Ireland. It is worth noting that Ireland is not a country. Like Great Britain, it is a geographical, not political, term. The Island of Ireland contain on it two countries, Northern Ireland — which we have already discussed — and the Republic of Ireland. When people say they are 'Irish' they are referring to the Republic of Ireland which is a separate country from the United Kingdom. However, both the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom are members of the European Union even though England often likes to pretend that it's an Island in the mid-atlantic rather than 50km off the cost of France. But that's a story for another time. To review: The two largest islands in the British Isles are Ireland and Great Britain. Ireland has on it two countries — the republic of ireland and northern ireland, while Great Britain (mostly) contains three: England, Scotland and Wales. These last three, when combined with northern Ireland form the United Kingdom. There are still many unanswered questions. Such as, why, when you travel to Canada is there British Royalty on the money? To answer this, we need to talk about Empire. You can't have gone to school in the English-speaking world without having learned that the British Empire once spanned a 1/4th the worlds land and governed nearly a 1/4th its people. While it is easy to remember the part of the empire that broke away violently... We often forget how many nations gained independence through diplomacy, not bloodshed. These want-to-be nations struck a deal with the empire where they continued to recognize the monarchy as the head of state in exchange for a local, autonomous parliament. To understand how they are connected, we need to talk about the crown. Not the physical crown that sits behind glass in the tower of London and earns millions of tourist pounds for the UK but the crown as a complicated legal entity best thought of a a one-man corporation. Who created this corporation? God Did. According to British Tradition all power is vested in God and the monarch is crowned in a Christian ceremony. God however — not wanted to be bothered with micromanagement — conveniently delegates his power to an entity called the crown. While this used to be the physical crown in the tower of london — it evolved over time into a legal corporation sole able to be controlled only by the ruling monarch. It's a useful reminder that the United Kingdom is still technically a theocracy with the reigning monarch acting as both the head of state and the supreme governor of the official state religion: Anglicanism. Such are the oddities that arise when dealing with a 1,000 year-old Monarchy. Back to Canada and the rest. The former colonies that gained their independence through diplomacy and continue to recognize that authority of the crown are known as the Commonwealth Realm. They are, in decreasing order of population: Canada, Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Jamaica, The Solomon Islands, Belize, The Bahamas, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Tuvalu. All are independent nations but still recognize the monarchy as the head of state even though it has little real power within their borders. There are three further entities that belong to the crown and these are the Crown Dependencies: he Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey. Unlike the Commonwealth Realm, they are not considered independent nations, but are granted local autonomy by the crown and British Citizenship by the United Kingdom — though the UK does reserve the right to over-rule the laws of there local assemblies. Are we all done "now"? Almost, but not quite. There are still a couple of loose threads, such as this place: The tiny city of Gibraltar on the Southern Cost of Spain famous for its rock, its monkeys and for causing diplomatic tension between the United Kingdom and Spain. Or what about the Falkland Islands? Which caused so much tension between the United Kingdom and Argentina that they went to war over them. These places belong in the last group of crown properties know as: British Overseas Territories. But their former name — crown colonies — gives away their origins. They are the last vestiges of the British Empire. Unlike the Commonwealth Realm, they have not become independent nations and continue to rely on the United Kingdom for military and (sometimes) economic assistance. Like the Crown Dependencies, everyone born in their borders is a British Citizen. The Crown colonies are, in decreasing order of population: Bermuda, Cayman Islands,Turks and Caicos Islands, Gibraltar, The British Virgin Islands, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, Anguilla, Saint Helena, Ascension Islands, Tristan da Cunha, Montserrat, British Indian Ocean Territory, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Falkland Islands, British Antarctic Territory, Pitcairn Islands. For our final Venn diagram, the United Kingdom is a country situated on the British Isles and is part of The Crown which is controlled by the monarchy. Also part of the crown and the British Isles are the crown dependencies. The independent nations of the former empire that still recognize the crown are the Commonwealth Realm and the non-independent remnants of the former empire are the British Overseas Territories. Thank you very much for watching.

Social season of London

1870 cartoon satirising the coming of the London season.

The London social season evolved in the 17th and 18th centuries, and in its traditional form it peaked in the 19th century. In this era the British elite was dominated by families of the nobility and landed gentry, who generally regarded their country house as their main home, but spent several months of the year in the capital to socialise and to engage in politics. The most exclusive events were held at the town mansions of leading members of the aristocracy. Exclusive public venues such as Almack's played a secondary role. The Season coincided with the sitting of parliament; it began some time after Christmas and ran until midsummer, roughly late June.^[2] Some sources say it began at Parliament's Easter session break.^[3]

The social season played a role in the political life of the country: the members of the two Houses of Parliament were almost all participants in the season. But the Season also provided an opportunity for the children of marriageable age of the nobility and gentry to be launched into society. Debutantes were formally introduced into society by presentation to the monarch at royal court during the Court Drawing Rooms and Queen Charlotte's Ball until the practice was abolished by Queen Elizabeth II in 1958. Queen Charlotte's Ball ceased to function in 1976, but has been relaunched since, by former debutante Jennie Hallam-Peel, without the monarch's involvement, and with more limited uptake; debutantes instead curtsy to "Queen Charlotte's Birthday Cake".^[4]

The traditional Season went into decline after the First World War, when many aristocratic families gave up their London mansions. From then on, more society events took place at public venues, making it harder to maintain social exclusivity.^{[citation needed]} The opulent coming-out party held for the 17 year-old Lady Sarah Consuelo Spencer-Churchill on 7 July 1939 at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, less than two months before World War Two was declared, has been styled by some as "the last season ever".^[5] Socialite Henry (Chips) Channon noted in his diary: “I have seen much, travelled far and am accustomed to splendour, but there has never been anything like tonight”.^[6]

Many events that take place far from central London (though generally within the Home Counties) came to be regarded as part of the social season, including Royal Ascot and the Henley Royal Regatta. The events that now constitute the London social season are increasingly hosted or sponsored by large companies (i.e. "corporate hospitality"). Western dress codes still apply to certain events in the season, especially those in which the King maintains an official role.^{[citation needed]}

Arts

Horticulture

Chelsea Flower Show

Equestrianism

The Crown

Trooping the Colour
Garter Service of the Order of the Garter
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Sport

Although several of these events are not actually held in London, such as the Hurlingham Polo Association at Guards Polo Club, the organisers of most events attempt to avoid date clashes, so it is generally possible to visit all of them in the same year.

The traditional end of the London Season is the Glorious Twelfth of August, which marks the beginning of the shooting season. Society would retire to the country to shoot birds during the autumn and hunt foxes during the winter before coming back to London again with the spring. For some time there was also the "Harrogate Season", where members of the upper classes would stop at Harrogate Spa to take in the waters on their way from London up to their shooting estates in the north.^[7]

Dress codes

Many events of the season have traditional expectations with regard to Western dress codes.

At Royal Ascot, for example, hats are compulsory in most enclosures, and to be admitted to the Royal Enclosure for the first time one must either be a guest of a member or be sponsored for membership by two members who have attended for at least six years as a member. This continues to maintain a socially exclusive character for the Royal Enclosure. Gentlemen are required to wear either black or grey morning dress with waistcoat and a top hat. A gentleman must remove his top hat within a restaurant, a private box, a private club or that facility's terrace, balcony or garden. Hats may also be removed within any enclosed external seating area within the Royal Enclosure Garden. Ladies must not show bare midriffs or shoulders and must wear hats. In the Queen Anne Enclosure (formerly known as the Grandstand), gentlemen are required to wear lounge suits with ties and ladies must wear a hat.^[8]
At Henley Royal Regatta, in the Stewards' Enclosure gentlemen must wear a lounge jacket and tie. Rowing club colours on a blazer or cap are encouraged, as is the wearing of boaters. A lady's skirt hem must reach below the knee and is checked before entry by the Stewards' Officers. Both ladies and gentlemen will be turned away if they fail to comply with the dress code, regardless of their prestige in rowing or elsewhere. Hats are encouraged but not required for ladies.^[9] When a student protested being denied entry to the Stewards' Enclosure for failing to meet the dress code, saying she had worn the dress "in the Royal Enclosure at Ascot and nobody said anything", a spokesman defended the dress code, saying "The intention is to maintain the atmosphere of an English Garden party of the Edwardian period by wearing a more traditional dress."^[10] Members must display their enamel badges at all times. Anyone found using a mobile phone is asked to leave immediately and their Stewards' Enclosure host, identified by the number on the guest's badge, may have his membership withdrawn as a result.^{[citation needed]}
At polo matches, it is usual for gentlemen to wear a blazer and always white trousers. Ladies should wear flat shoes, as the tradition of "treading in the divots" (pressing back into place the clods of turf thrown up by the horses’ hooves) precludes wearing heels. The famous Club House at Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park is for the use of club members only, who wear individually made gold and enamel badges. Members' guests are given special gold-embossed tags.

In popular culture

A London Season features in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility and is often a key plot device in Regency romance novels.^{[citation needed]}
The 1927 novel Lucia in London by E. F. Benson is set during the London season in the 1920s.
The 1938 novel Death in a White Tie by Ngaio Marsh is set during the London season.
Eliza Doolittle's first public tryout and debut into high society in My Fair Lady, the musical film version of George Bernard Shaw’s book Pygmalion, uses the idea of Ascot Racecourse as a setting.
The novel The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, and the 1963 film of the same name by Luchino Visconti, portray the Palermitan season during the Risorgimento.
The events of Julian Fellowes's novel Past Imperfect take place during the 1968 season in London.
In the 2003 film What a Girl Wants, Lord Henry Dashwood invites his new-found daughter Daphne to attend the London Season.
The 2009 young-adult novel The Season by Sarah MacLean portrays a young woman entering her first London Season.
Vincente Minnelli's The Reluctant Debutante
In the British period drama Downton Abbey the outspoken youngest daughter of the fictional Earl of Grantham, Lady Sybil, is presented as a debutante at court in London during her first season. The family are also portrayed to move to London for the duration of the season, returning to their country seat at the end of it. The show's 2013 Christmas Special (set in the summer of 1923) focuses on cousin Lady Rose McClare's debutante ball and presentation at court.
Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray; and his plays Lady Windermere's Fan, An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest.
In Michel Faber's The Crimson Petal and the White, the Season is part of the plot.
The Malory-Anderson Family Saga series of historical romance novels by Johanna Lindsey is set primarily in London, the first one opening in 1817. Throughout the series, one Season or another and the balls thrown during them, are mentioned in dialogue and are sometimes central to the plot lines themselves.
Honoré de Balzac's novel The Muse of the Department contains a description of the London Season:

London is the capital of shops and of speculation, the government is made there. The aristocracy inscribes itself there only during sixty days, it there takes its orders, it inspects the government kitchen, it passes in review its daughters to marry, and equipages to sell, it says good-day and goes away promptly ; - it is so little amusing that it supports itself only for the few days called the season.

Most of the Regency Romance novels by Georgette Heyer feature the London Season.
The Royal Ascot racecourse was used as a filming location in the James Bond film A View to a Kill (1985), in which Bond was beginning his mission to defeat the villainous Max Zorin, whose horse was racing there.
The events depicted in the Netflix period drama series Bridgerton take place during the London Season. Julia Quinn's Bridgerton novels, on which the Netflix series is based, also primarily take place in London during the Season.
The London Season is an important part of the board game John Company.

Notes

^ "Cheltenham Festival marks the start of Sloaney Season". The Sloaney. 13 March 2018. Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
^ 'The Social Character of the Estate: The London Season in 1841′, Survey of London: volume 39: The Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair, Part 1 (General History) (1977), pp. 89-93.
^ "From balls to Bridgerton: a brief history of debutantes and the social season". BBC. 19 February 2021.
^ "In pictures: Debutantes at Queen Charlotte's Ball". 30 October 2013. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 23 August 2019 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
^ Anne de Courcy. 1939: The Last Season (1989)
^ Henry (Chips) Cannon, ed. Simon Heffer. The Diaries 1939-42 (2021), p. 594, 1039, 7/7/1939
^ "History of the Royal Pump Room Museum". Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
^ "Royal Ascot 14-18th June 2011". Royal Ascot. Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
^ Bergin, Olivia (1 July 2009). "What to wear: Henley Royal Regatta". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 6 July 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
^ Wardrop, Murray (2 July 2009). "Student falls foul of Henley Royal Regatta dress code wearing Ascot outfit". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 11 July 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2010.

External links

Parties and festivals

Sorted by occasions, purposes or attributes

Types

Wedding-related

Banquets

House parties

Public parties

Festivals	Holidays Spring break Mischief Night New Year's Eve Arts festival Film awards seasons Religious festival Christmas Carnival Feasts Food festival Harvest festival Social season Heortology
Fairs	World's fair State fair County fair Trade fair
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Clothing

Western dress codes	Formal White tie Morning dress Semi-formal Black tie Black lounge suit Informal Suit Casual
Wedding dress Contemporary Bridal crown Dress Evening gown Ball gown Debutante Opera gloves Cocktail dress Garters Casual