Debutante Eliza Lewis, 17 from Kent, who was named Debutante of the Year, cuts the cake with a sword at Leeds Castle during the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. In 1780 the first debutante's Ball was held by King George III to celebrate the birthday of his wife Queen Charlotte and raised money for a maternity hospital. Society girls were presented to the monarch and it became an annual event and important as a marriage market for the upper echelons of society. The London Season runs for six months of the year including sporting events, cocktail parties, dances and concerts and the Ball is the pinnacle of this season. After the present Queen terminated the practice of introducing debutantes at royal garden parties in 1957, Lady Howard de Walden followed by then editor of Tatler, Peter Townend, continued the tradition and on his death Peter nominated former debutantes Jennie Hallam-Peel and Patricia Woodall to take over running of The London Season. It is now focussed on raising money for children in need worldwide and the Queen Charlotte's Ball has been held in Shanghai and Dubai as well as various grand venues in London. This year the debutantes' gowns have been supplied by Berketex Brides and the cake, to which the debutantes curtsey, is made by Pretty Gorgeous Cakes. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





A debutante practices her dip curtsy at Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Guests take pictures and look on as debutantes arrive at Leeds Castle during the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Cerys Walker, 18 from Cheshire, arrives at Leeds Castle for the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutante Annie Ding, 20 from Hong Kong, looks at her reflection in a mirror at Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes arrive at Leeds Castle for the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutante Jiabao Cui, 24, from Beijing, poses at Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutante Shrishti Mishra, 16, from London applies make-up in a bedroom at Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes take pictures at Leeds Castle during the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutante Amira Rayner, 19, from Kent prepares at Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutante Carolina Lanz, 16, (R) adjusts the dress of Shrishti Mishra, 16 (L) at Leeds Castle during the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes prepare to leave Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes and their escorts sit down to dinner at Leeds Castle during the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes sit at tables laid with cakes and sandwiches on the top deck of a Routemaster bus before leaving Boughton Monchelsea Place for the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes gather at Leeds Castle during the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes prepare at Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Former debutante Charlotte Wotner, 48 (R) takes a picture of her daughter debutante Eliza Lewis, 17, (L) at Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes sit at tables laid with cakes and sandwiches on the top deck of a Routemaster bus before leaving Boughton Monchelsea Place for the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes Amira Rayner, 19 (L) and Eliza Lewis, 17 (R) prepare at Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutante Olivia Mott, 20, from Charlottesville, Virginia practices her curtsy at Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





A Routemaster bus is parked outside as debutante Lauren Evans, 27, from Haslemere, looks out of the entrance to Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutante Olivia Mott, 20, from Charlottesville, Virginia (L) passes Callan Foran (R), 20, from Ohio a pair of white gloves as they prepare at Boughton Monchelsea Place ahead of the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes and their escorts sit down to dinner at Leeds Castle during the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes adjust their dresses at Leeds Castle during the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutantes drink champagne and look at the cake on display at Leeds Castle during the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)





Debutante Annie Ding, 20 from Hong Kong checks her phone at Leeds Castle during the Queen Charlotte's Ball on September 9, 2017 in Maidstone, England. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)