Levant Time logo

In-depth interview

Françoise Péricaud-Duval: When Elegance Is Guided by Charity
By
Yasmina Comair
Published
Jul 30, 2026 - 20:38

Some evenings quietly fade into memory. Others simply wait for someone willing to bring them back to life. In 1967, under the High Patronage of Princess Grace of Monaco, the Order of Malta Ball was held in Paris, embodying the understated elegance that has long distinguished great charitable endeavors, where refinement finds its true purpose only in the cause it serves. Then the years passed, and this prestigious gathering gradually disappeared from the Parisian social calendar. Nearly six decades later, the Ball has returned in the exceptional setting of the Cercle de l’Union Interalliée. Under the High Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Caroline of Hanover, this new edition represents far more than the revival of a distinguished social event. It rekindles a shared memory, restores a bond between generations, and reminds us that there are still places where beauty can become a language of solidarity.