Ball at the Duchess of Richmond

Before Waterloo.

In Brussels on the evening of June 15, Charlotte Margaret, Duchess of Richmond, gave a famous ball for high British society, who had gathered here in anticipation of the victory over Napoleon, which was attended by almost all the officers of the English army, including Commander-in-Chief Arthur Wellington. The allies in the coalition, the French royalists, were also invited to the ball. The room of a huge coach shed was adapted for the dance hall, brought into proper form: the walls were covered with pink wallpaper and decorated with raspberry, gold and black lambrequins, as well as ribbons, wreaths and flower garlands. The preparations for the ball excited the whole city, the ladies talked about it and were much more interested in it than in the advance of a formidable enemy.
According to the romantic version, Wellington received the news that Napoleon crossed the border at this ball, and many officers, without changing their clothes, went to war in ceremonial uniforms.