A royal array of artists and benefactors held court at The American Associates of the Royal Academy Trust Gala at the Rainbow Room. The fete honored art world royalty Rosamond Bernier and John Russell in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Sir David Manning, KCMG, British Ambas-sador to the U.S.

Bernier spent 20 years in Paris as the European features editor for Vogue, founded the art mag L’Oeil, and befriended many masters of the School of Paris, such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. After returning to the U.S. in 1971, she became a successful lecturer and author. Russell, Bernier’s husband, has been a venerable art critic for the Sunday Times of London and The New York Times for more than a half-century.

Gala chair Frances Hayward was joined by co-chairs Thomas Quick, John and Antonia Gore, Marife Hernandez and Joel Bell, Dr. Robert and Kate Wickham, and Christopher Forbes. Royal patrons also included: Janice Abbott, Amy Fine Collins, Dru Heinz, Hilary Geary and Wilbur Ross, Elizabeth Stribling, Pauline Pitt, Liz Fondaras, Mildred Brinn, Elizabeth de Cuevas, Thomas McCarter, Ann Nitze, Frances Scaife, and Audrey and Enriquillo del Rosario. May fine art rule for centuries to come....