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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)
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