Queen Victoria’s Drawing Room

In my upcoming book, A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder, Frances agrees to do a favor for a friend and present her niece to the queen. Court presentations ended in the 1950s, and even in 1900 they weren’t required for entrance to society, but a presentation was still a prestigious event, and I thought you might like to know a little more about them.

Queen Victoria held what was called a “Drawing Room” for court presentations four times a year. Usually, two before Easter and two after. Once the dates for the Drawing Rooms were announced, sponsors, like Frances, would write to the Lord Chamberlain to request a presentation for the woman they were sponsoring. This is similar to a nomination process, and the nominee would be scrutinized to determine if she was qualified.

The Qualifications

The presentee should be of good moral and social character.

The sponsor must be someone who has already been presented.

Social status as follows: a wife or daughter of the aristocracy, a wife or daughter of the landed gentry, of the clergy, of naval and military officers, of professional men such as physicians and barristers, of merchants, bankers and members of the Stock Exchange, and “persons engaged in commerce on a large scale.

One unwritten qualification is that the woman “wear the white flower of a blameless life.” In other words, no scandals and that includes divorce.

If the presentee met all the qualifications, she would receive a summons three weeks in advance of the Drawing Room, which gave her time to learn her role and buy the required costume for her presentation.

Full Court Dress

The gown itself had to have a low bodice, short sleeves, and unless the presentee was older, it had to be white, though it could be trimmed with color. Added to that was a train of not less than nine feet, falling from the shoulders, white gloves, and a headdress that consisted of a tulle veil and three plumes worn to the left side of the head.

Presentations took place at Buckingham Palace at 3:00 in the afternoon, in the Throne Room. The presentee and her sponsor would be stuck in traffic with their fellow attendees for several hours prior to the event. The court circular for the May 11^th, 1900 Drawing Room reported 150 presentees. Add to that 150 sponsors, the ladies and gentlemen of the Queen’s household, a Diplomatic Circle made up of thirty to forty ambassadors and other dignitaries, an honor guard, all the Royals who are in residence, and what looks like a long list of people who just came to be seen.

Once in the palace, the presentee waits in an antechamber until notified that she is next. She’ll toss that train over her arm and head to the Throne Room, stopping just before she enters so her train can be spread out behind her. Her sponsor walks with her to the queen and the royals assembled around her. Then the presentee’s name is announced, she curtsies very deeply to the queen. Then she backs away, adding curtsies as she passes any of the princesses all the while careful not to trip over her train as she backs away.

That’s it. Chances are the presentee now throws a big party to celebrate. What do you think? Is it worth all the fuss?