Annabel’s is a London nightclub, located at 44 Berkeley Square, London. It was founded by entrepreneur Mark Birley and named after Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart, then his wife.
Annabel’s was founded in 1963, after Birley’s friend John Aspinall decided that they needed somewhere to party after an evening’s gambling. As a result, Birley turned the basement of Aspinall’s casino, the Clermont Club, into a nightclub, and named it after his then wife, Annabel, who went on to marry Birley’s friend, Sir James Goldsmith. Birley later blocked off the private staircase linking the Clermont above.[1]
Annabel’s is a members-only nightclub and catered to an exclusive clientele, including the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Anne, US President Richard Nixon, Aristotle Onassis and Frank Sinatra.[2] In 2003, the Queen visited the club, and it is thought to be the only nightclub the Queen has ever attended.