Held in celebration of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, the Devonshire House Ball was the event of the London Season, an annual social occasion which saw members of the Royal Family and the aristocracy attend multiple balls, concerts, dinners and charity events. Inspired by the fancy dress balls hosted by the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) at Marlborough House from the 1870s, the ball was held at the London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, close friends of the Prince and Princess. They invited over 700 people ahead of the event, although newspapers estimated that almost 3,000 people were expected to attend. The ball was held on 2 July 1897 and saw almost all of the Royal Family attend, as well as members of European royalty and the gentry all dressed as historical, legendary and literary figures. The Prince of Wales came dressed as a Grand Master of the Knights Hospitallers of Malta, the Princess as Marguerite de Valois, wife of Henri IV of France.

The Duke of Devonshire invited the firm of James Lafayette to photograph the guests for this souvenir book. This copy, with each photograph signed by person it depicted, was acquired by Queen Mary when Princess Mary, Duchess of York, who attended dressed as a lady of the court of Marguerite de Valois.