One of Napoleon III’s ambitions was to reconcile France with England, to create a bond of kinship that would benefit both countries in the centuries ahead.
After a successful visit to London by Napoleon in April 1855, Queen Victoria travelled to France in a return visit, in a trip that began in Paris and culminated in a lavish Ball at the Palace of Versailles, attended by over 1,000 guests.
The Ball was a great success and contributed to the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two nations, paving the way for the first Entente Cordiale, which has stood the test of time until today.
In 2022, marking 167 years since Queen Victoria’s visit to Versailles, a spectacular Ball will be held at the Palace of Versailles.
This once-in-a-lifetime event will pay homage to Napoleon III’s original event and will once again bring together British and French cultures within the magnificent setting of the Palace of Versailles.
The Royal Versailles Ball will be held in aid of Unicef UK, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Street Child, three registered charities that fund educational development programmes for some of the world’s most vulnerable children and communities.
As part of the fundraising for the RVB nominated charities, I am contributing a prize to the Bonham’s charity auction, of a painting to be commissioned by the winner.
Link: https://www.facebook.com/TheRVBall/
Napoleon himself famously disliked sitting for portraits, despite several capturing key historical moments in his life, but he believed that a portrait should capture the character and attitude of a person in a moment, as much as the physical likeness. I am in agreement and am looking forward greatly to this event.
