The Courtly Ball Raises $2 Million Dollars in a Royal Affair

On Friday, October 5, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston at their 2018 Grand Gala Ball welcomed more than 270 guests for a royal affair, celebrating the exhibition Tudors to Windsors: British Royal Portraits from Holbein to Warhol. The Museum’s Cullinan Hall was transformed to reflect the occasion, featuring luxurious, red and blue floor-to-ceiling drapes, glittering chandeliers and framed projections of royal portraiture featured in the exhibition. Décor by The Events Company included gold-accented furniture and gold-rimmed glassware, royal blue linens and grand centerpieces overflowing with red, pink and white roses.

This incredible gala opened with Gary Tinterow, Director of the MFAH; Richard D. Kinder, Chairman of the Board of the MFAH; and Franci Neely, Chair of the Grand Gala Ball, who welcomed the crowd and thanked them for the continued support.

City Kitchen wowed the guests with a delicious menu that included twice baked stilton soufflé served with salad of celery, toasted walnuts, followed by pan-roasted breast of pheasant with field mushrooms and Madeira crispy rissole of pheasant leg served with turnip mash. The spectacular feast concluded with a trifle with berries, sponge cake, sherry and cream.

The Grand Ball has its tradition of a decadent dinner followed by guests dancing the night away in their lavish ball gowns. The musical stylings of Jordan Khan Orchestra kept this tradition going strong while The Museum raised $2 million during the event to support the Museum’s general operating budget.

This ball is certainly the talk of the town with an exclusive guest list that included: Nancy and Rich Kinder; Phoebe Tudor; Shahla and Hushang Ansary; Bill and Sara Morgan; Franci Neely; Bill and Andrea White; Lynn Wyatt; Cornelia and Meredith Long; Susan and Fayez Sarofim; Andrew and Mona Sarofim; Diane Lokey Farb; Cherie Flores; Jane Zilkha; Beth Madison; Reed and Laurie Morian; Bobbie Nau; Susanne and Bill Pritchard; Elise and Russell Joseph; Ann and John Bookout; Anne and Albert Chao; Rose Cullen; Anne and Charles Duncan; Margaret Alkek Williams and Jim Daniel; Jeanie Kilroy Wilson and Wallace S. Wilson; Robin and Lela Gibbs; Sandy Godfrey; Ginni and Richard Mithoff; Macey and Harry Reasoner; Sushila and Durga Agrawal; Rania Daniel; Cynthia and Tony Petrello; Leslie and Brad Bucher; Gail and Louis Adler; Nancy C. Allen; Princess Maria-Anna and Prince Piotr Galitzine; Kathy and Marty Goossen; Amy Purvis; Isla and Tommy Reckling; Lester and Sue Smith; Nancy and Butch Abendshein; Susan and Lenoir Josey; Lisa and Downing Mears; and Jesse H. Jones II and Terry Wayne Jones.