Editing Buckingham Palace (section)

====Court presentation of débutantes====
[[Débutante]]s were aristocratic young ladies making their first entrée into society through a presentation to the monarch at court. These occasions, known as "coming out", took place at the palace from the reign of Edward VII. The débutantes entered—wearing full court dress, with three ostrich feathers in their hair—curtsied, performed a backwards walk and a further curtsey, while manoeuvring a dress train of prescribed length. The ceremony, known as an evening court, corresponded to the "court [[drawing room]]s" of Victoria's reign.<ref>Peacocke, pp. 178–179, 244–247.</ref> After World War II, the ceremony was replaced by less formal afternoon receptions, omitting the requirement of court evening dress.<ref>Peacocke, pp. 264–265.</ref> In 1958, Queen Elizabeth II abolished the presentation parties for débutantes,<ref>{{cite web |title=Mailbox |url=http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page5299.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080123231607/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page5299.asp |archive-date=23 January 2008 |access-date=23 January 2008 |website=Royal Insight Magazine}}</ref> replacing them with [[Garden at Buckingham Palace#Garden parties|Garden Parties]],{{efn|[[Princess Margaret]] is reputed to have remarked of the débutante presentations: "We had to put a stop to it, every tart in London was getting in."<ref>{{cite book |last=Blaikie |first=Thomas |title=You look awfully like the Queen |publisher=Harper Collins |date=2002 |isbn=978-0-0071-4874-5 |location=London}}</ref>}} for up to 8,000 invitees in the Garden. They are the largest functions of the year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Royal Household |title=Garden parties: The guests |url=http://www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/GardenParties/TheGuests.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117060104/http://www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/GardenParties/TheGuests.aspx |archive-date=17 January 2013 |website=Official Website of the British Monarchy}}</ref>