An introduction to the dying days of an aristocratic ritual. May 1958 was the last time debutantes were formally presented to the Queen before being launched on the 'season': four months of parties, dances and social events.
A record number of debutantes took part in that last 1958 season: girls prepared for a world of privilege and tradition. But in the decades that followed, the world changed in ways unimaginable to young ladies of their class and generation.
The programme looks at how the lives of the last debutantes developed during the ensuing decades. Some would question the value system for which they'd been groomed; some would dramatically reject it; while others found their lives heading in fascinating directions.
Finally, the programme looks at the revival of the debutante season in the new millennium and the girls who 'came out' in 2007: how do young girls of class or money spend their 'seasons' today, and what do the debutantes of 1958 make of it?
Not all programmes are available on 4oD. Please see our FAQs.
