Marlborough House set facts for kids
The Marlborough House set was a special group of friends and important people who were close to Edward, Prince of Wales. This group was active from the 1870s until Edward became King Edward VII in 1901. They often gathered at Marlborough House, Edward's home in Pall Mall, London, and at the Marlborough Club, which he helped create.
The Marlborough House set loved activities like horse racing, hunting, shooting, and playing cards. Some people thought their behavior was a bit too relaxed. However, the group actually made Edward more popular with the public. Many important bankers, politicians, and lawyers were part of this set. When Edward became king, some members even got important jobs in the royal court.
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How the Marlborough House Set Started
The group got its name from Marlborough House. This large house is in central London, close to Buckingham Palace. Prince Edward moved into Marlborough House in 1863 after he married Alexandra of Denmark.
At this time, Edward's mother, Queen Victoria, was in a long period of sadness. Her husband, Albert, Prince Consort, had died in 1861. So, Edward took on many of the royal family's social duties. He hosted formal events at the palace and held parties at Marlborough House. Edward even changed Marlborough House to have bigger rooms for entertaining. He also hired over 100 staff members to help with his events. This made Marlborough House feel like a second royal court.
In 1869, Edward started his own club called the Marlborough Club in Pall Mall. He did this after another club, White's, banned smoking. Edward chose the first 400 members himself. The Marlborough Club quickly became a key part of his social life. The Marlborough House set grew around this house and club in the 1870s.
What the Marlborough House Set Did
In the 1880s, London's high society grew and split into different groups. The Marlborough House set was one of these groups. People started using the name "Marlborough House set" in the 1880s. This was because their behavior was quite different from Queen Victoria's more formal court.
Historian James Stourton said that Edward wanted Marlborough House to be known as the "best kept house in London." Edward was clearly the leader of the set. He expected members to act with honor, even if their social rules were less strict. Edward also made sure everyone followed a very formal dress code.
Favorite Activities
The set's social calendar included many exciting events. Horse racing meetings were very popular, especially Royal Ascot, the Epsom Derby, and the St Leger Stakes. Members also enjoyed shooting, hunting, and playing cards. They often attended fancy dinners.
Edward and his group also helped create the idea of the "country house weekend." These weekends were mainly for hunting and shooting. After the men returned to the host's house in the afternoon, the women would change into special "tea gowns." These were more comfortable dresses. Owners of country homes spent a lot of money to make their houses look perfect for these visits. Witley Park in Surrey was a favorite spot. At the end of these weekends, everyone often took a formal photograph. Edward would usually sit in the middle.
Social Connections and Views
The Marlborough House set sometimes met with another social group called The Souls. However, The Souls were usually more interested in politics and serious discussions. Edward had a playful side. He would sometimes pour brandy over the head of politician Christopher Sykes as a joke. Members of the set nicknamed Edward "Tum-Tum" because he was a bit overweight.
The Marlborough House set generally supported Denmark and disliked Prussia (which later became part of Germany). This was because Edward's wife, Princess Alexandra, was Danish. Denmark and Prussia had even fought a war in 1864. This view was different from Queen Victoria's court, which often favored Germany.
Queen Victoria did not approve of the Marlborough House set's relaxed social rules. She compared them to the group around the less proper King George IV. At one point, some aristocratic ladies even complained to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Edward White Benson. They asked him to encourage better morals among noblewomen. They thought the presence of American women in the set was causing this decline. Despite these criticisms, the activities of the set actually made Prince Edward more popular with the general public.
