Duchess Sophie brings music and industry together at elegant Palace luncheon

The Duchess of Edinburgh brought together figures from the worlds of business, industry and the arts as she hosted a special luncheon at St James’s Palace.

Sophie, who has served as Patron of the Hallé Concerts Society, welcomed guests for the gathering on Wednesday.

The engagement was part of the Duchess’s work with the Manchester-based musical organisation, which has been at the heart of Britain’s cultural life for more than 160 years.

The Hallé’s story began in 1858, when German-born pianist and conductor Sir Charles Hallé founded his orchestra in Manchester. 

Its first concert took place on 30 January that year at the city’s Free Trade Hall, at a time when Manchester was rapidly expanding as one of the major centres of the Industrial Revolution.

That connection between Manchester’s industrial heritage and its cultural identity remains central to the Hallé today. 

The Duchess has previously visited the Hallé in Manchester, including in 2023 when she formally opened the Oglesby Centre at Hallé St Peter’s and watched a performance by the Hallé Ancoats Community Choir.