1914 Kenwood House ball

The north entrance of Kenwood House, 2005

A ball was held at Kenwood House, London, by Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia on 11 June 1914. The ball was held in honour of Michael's daughters Anastasia and Nadejda and marked the coming-out of the latter, who was aged 18. It was attended by a large number of British and foreign nobility, including King George V and Queen Mary, and was one of the last big social events before the start of the First World War. The night featured a dinner and dance demonstration by Maurice Mouvet and Florence Walton. The latter was the first royal command performance by American dancers; Mary specifically requested a demonstration of the controversial tango as she had not seen one before. A ball after the dinner was attended by 2,000 members of society and was accompanied by a Viennese orchestra.