Despite its nineteenth-century origins, Le Bal follows the trend of the times. On D-Day, participants representing 12 nationalities parade before their families accompanied by their escorts, referred to here as chevaliers. Historian and TV presenter Stéphane Bern, who was fresh from an interview with King Juan Carlos, hosted the event with an apt mix of humor, wit, and facts.
“We are in the only Parisian-style decorated palace—think gilded moldings, lots of mirrors and wooden floors—that remains from Roland Bonaparte,” she noted at one point, before quipping “oh, here comes the granddaughter of the King of France, and here comes the granddaughter of the king of Las Vegas, Kirk Kerkorian.” Meanwhile, the attendees applaud and cheer the debutantes, who demonstrate their skill in wearing couture gowns and jewelry.
