Lecture: Edwardian Entertainment and Costume Balls

The Palace of Holyroodhouse is hosting a lecture on Edwardian entertainment and costume balls on Thursday 12 November, from 18:30 to 19:30. It's being led by Kathryn Jones, Senior Curator of Decorative Arts, and Emma Stead, Curator at the Palace, and it sits alongside the Palace's exhibition The Edwardians: Age of Elegance, which follows two of Britain's most fashionable royal couples: King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, and King George V and Queen Mary.

The talk looks at the glamorous world of Edwardian entertainment, built around the great costume balls of the era. One of the specific examples they'll be talking about is the Waverley Ball, held in Edinburgh to raise money for the Scott Monument. And there's a bit of a draw here: you'll get to see the Mary, Queen of Scots costume that Queen Alexandra wore to that ball. If you've spent any time around the Palace lately, you'll know it's the King's official residence in Scotland, run by the Royal Collection Trust, which looks after one of the world's great art collections.

It's a good fit for the exhibition running alongside it, The Edwardians: Age of Elegance, which tracks the fashion and public lives of those two royal couples. The lecture runs from 18:30 to 19:30 on 12 November, and tickets are £12.00 for adults. Booking is essential, so you'll want to get yours sorted in advance. The Palace is at the end of the Royal Mile, and the talk is held in the surroundings of the Great Gallery.