The context of the Ghillies Ball
Following the purchase of Balmoral by Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert in 1852, a dance was held in September to honor their laborers and housekeepers. The Ghillies Ball would eventually be the name of this dance. Gaelic for "game warden", "ghillie" is also the name of a type of shoe frequently used in Scottish country dancing.
The dancing begins at half past nine and lasts until about half past eleven, when the royal family usually leave the ballroom with their guests to enjoy refreshments from a buffet set up in the castle dining room, a said Corbett. A menu for the 1912 Ghillies Ball is available here.
What are the participants of the Ghillies Ball wearing?
Queen Elizabeth's biographer Sally Bedell Smith notes that for the ball, men wear black ties and kilts while women wear tiaras, long skirts and tartan sashes with diamond brooches.
Since the event is private, no photos or videos are usually shared online. But in 1971, the ball was filmed as part of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's silver wedding celebrations. The event was filmed for the movie Elizabeth R: A Year in the Queen's Life Twenty Years Later. In the documentary, the royal family, including Princess Diana, Princess Anne and, of course, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, perform an Eightsome Reel, a Scottish country dance.
During her 70 years as Queen, the Queen performed a lot of Scottish dancing, according to retired ballerina Dame Darcy Bussell in the film Royal Road Trip. The Ghillies Ball is an important part of this.
The Ghillies Ball is when.
The ball is usually held each year at the end of the royal family's summer vacation, either late August or early September. The Grand Ballroom at Balmoral Castle serves as the venue.