Power & Pleasure: The Devonshire House Jubilee Ball 1897

At the zenith of its power, Britain, the 'Workshop of the World', dominated the globe with military might and commercial acuity. The celebration of Queen Victoria's sixty years on the throne was carefully positioned to highlight the country's strength, especially in the face of rising competition from other nations. The festivities brought together, in a show of force, the Queen's widely extended family, foreign dignitaries, diplomats, foreign royals and world leaders.

Extraordinary pageantr...