Christmas Dinner followed by Blenheim Palace: Christmas past and present
Christmas Dinner followed by Blenheim Palace: Christmas past and present
Lecturer: Antonia Keaney
Christmas at Blenheim Palace has always been a time of celebration. The 7th Duke and Duchess followed the lead of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in making Christmas a family time and an opportunity to give gifts to those who were in their employ. Those traditions are, in many ways, continued to this day. This lecture looks at how Christmas has been celebrated over the years and how, each November, the Palace and its grounds are transformed into a Christmas feast for the eyes.
Antonia Keaney joined Blenheim Palace in 2008 as a member of the Education Team, later becoming the Palace’s Social Historian and Researcher. Both roles have involved her curating or co-curating a number of Palace exhibitions including A Passion for Fashion – 300 Years of Blenheim Style upon which her recent book is based. Antonia’s latest project has been to produce a series of podcasts – Behind the Scenes at Blenheim Palace.
An experienced public speaker, Antonia has delivered a ‘Conversation’ at Cumberland Lodge, Windsor, been ‘In Conversation’ with fashion editor Caroline Issa, designers Stephen Jones and Zandra Rhodes and TV and radio presenter, Sue Perkins.
Antonia has participated in both the Oxford and Cheltenham Literary Festivals and been a guest on Radio 4’s Saturday Live with the Reverend Richard Coles. She has also made various TV appearances including Channel 5’s The Cotswolds with Pam Ayres and Blenheim Palace – Behind the Grandeur.
In her spare time, Antonia enjoys the company of her family and her dogs – particularly Percy, a wire-haired Dachshund, who inspired her to write and illustrate her first children’s book – Percy at the Palace – A Dog’s Eye View of Blenheim. She is currently researching her next book on Blenheim Palace and World War II.