What the footman heard: Goring gossip through the ages

From tittle-tattle in The Dining Room to whispers in the Royal Suite, we reveal a few stories you should know (and perhaps one or two you probably shouldn’t). Just remember – what happens at The Goring, stays at The Goring.

A tale with legs

Wait. What? Women have legs? Jean Shrimpton, one of our most favourite models of the Sixties, brought this fact sharply into focus by famously arriving at The Goring’s 50th birthday party wearing – hold onto the walls, everyone – a mini skirt. One of the first outings for a look that defined the decade, Jean used The Goring as a stage for this sartorial scandal, the perfect backdrop for a hotel that famously runs on eccentricity. No one batted an eyelid, of course.

The muff and the marmoset

In 1912, a lady wearing a large muff checked into a room with a balcony on a warm night. She left her windows open, and by morning, our reception was flooded with complaints. One guest reported her dressing table in disarray; an elderly matron lamented the disappearance of her wig and another guest awoke to find a small monkey perched on his bed. Eventually, both monkey and wig were recovered, and the culprit identified: the lady with the muff, now empty, departing calmly with her mischievous marmoset perched on her shoulder.

Safe keeping

At The Goring, we have many quirky challenges to overcome, including looking after our guests' valuable jewels. That’s why we upgraded and modernised our tiara boxes so that our guests have somewhere secure to place their family heirlooms, and can rest easily knowing that their precious headpieces are locked safely away behind reception. That’s until the owner pops across to the hairdresser’s for a ‘Tiara Set’ – when the bejewelled item is cleverly hidden beneath a silk headscarf, ready to attend a state banquet or diplomatic reception next door at Buckingham Palace.

The very fabric of The Goring is filled with stories set to scandalise and titillate you in equal measure. Come by soon to find out more.