Attending one of the major sporting, cultural and social events that make up ‘the British season’ affords visitors the chance to rub shoulders with the elite of British society; the royals and celebrities whose faces grace the pages of fashion and lifestyle magazines throughout the year.
For serious social butterflies, arriving in style is paramount. Doing so is a breeze in 2020 thanks to the launch of Belmond British Pullman’s ‘The Season’, four exclusive journeys in the vintage railway carriages of the iconic locomotive that will transport guests to the season’s most exclusive events in style.
Belmond’s season begins on June 19 with Royal Ascot, a special journey on the penultimate day of race week in association with Moët & Chandon. Guests will depart from London Victoria Station in the morning and enjoy a Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage breakfast en route to the racecourse, where they will have tickets to the Queen Anne Enclosure and buffet lunch in the Garden Club, followed by dinner on the return journey to Victoria later that evening.
Two days later, Belmond British Pullman sets off again for the Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park for the Out-Sourcing Inc. Royal Windsor Cup. Guests will enjoy a Bellini breakfast en route to Windsor and a Champagne reception on arrival, followed by a day of polo and a three-course lunch by Mosimann’s in the Member’s Clubhouse, plus a light dinner on the ride back to Victoria.
One of the highlights of the social season, Glorious Goodwood takes place in the Sussex countryside on July 31. Belmond British Pullman guests will kick off the day with brunch on the train, followed by a day’s racing and a three-course dinner on the way back to London.
And to wrap things up on a musical note, the Glyndebourne Festival will be marking the 250-year anniversary of Beethoven’s death with an exclusive performance of Fidelio, the composer’s only opera, on August 7. To make the day extra special, Glyndebourne members can opt to arrive in style with a three-course brunch on the way and the best seats in the house at the performance, followed by a nightcap on the way home: a fitting end to a lavish season. Journeys start from US $780.