WL’s list shifts subtly with each edition. Those who die, move away, or get indicted are removed. So are divorcing couples, although they are usually reinstated when the dust settles. Former occupants of high office may remain, especially if the reputation they have earned in the community during their service bestows what is known as “permanent establishment” status.
We are often asked how names get added. The answer is a bit complex. While our list is no hidebound Almanach de Gotha or Debrett’s Peerage & Baronetage (whose newcomers are mainly restricted to spouses and scions of royal and noble families), it does contain certain likely suspects. These include successive generations of American political dynasties (Taft, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Bush, et al.) who have settled here, plus elements of what we like to call the “Cave Dwellers,” i.e., longtime resident clans bearing names like Lee, Clagget, and Addison, who, though they are rarely encountered, much less photographed in public, have contributed to the local scene for a century or more. There is a somewhat connected “old money” set (Rockefellers, Burdens, Mellons, various collateral du Ponts) who reside here but whose origins are rooted in other cities; and a much larger group whose pedigrees – and portfolios – are of more recent vintage. Fortune, fame and family ties do not, however, guarantee automatic inclusion, although generous measures of sophistication, bonhomie, and civic spirit may certainly speed the process. As far as philanthropy is concerned, giving to worthy causes has long been a way to earn the recognition of “peers,” although mere presence in what the late party chronicler Betty Beale liked to call “pay-as-you-go society,” provides no guarantee here.
Finally, a word on selection. While there is no secrecy-enshrouded Skull and Bonery involved in giving the nod or withholding it, we do consult an ever-evolving number of confidential arbiters whose advice is respected in such matters, mostly longtime residents and wise observers of the scene. There is no application process or need for letters of recommendation. It is a year-round effort, blatantly arbitrary and non-comprehensive to be sure, and we do our best to get it right.
A
Mr. and Mrs. JAMES ABDO (Mai)
Mr. and Mrs. WILLIAM ABEL-SMITH (Mimi)
The Honorable and Mrs. TYLER ABELL (Bess)
The Honorable DAVID C. ACHESON
Mr. GLEN ACKERMAN and Mr. ERNESTO SANTALLA
Mr. THEO ADAMSTEIN and Ms. OLVIA DEMETRIOU
Mr. CHRISTOPHER ADDISON and Ms. SILVIA RIPLEY
Mr. and Mrs. JORGE ADELER (Graziela)
Mr. and Mrs. JOHN E. (‘CHIP’) AKRIDGE, III (Sally)
The Honorable MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT
Mr. and Mrs. BRADDOCK ALEXANDER (Denise)
The Honorable and Mrs. CLIFFORD ALEXANDER (Adele)
Senator and Mrs. LAMAR ALEXANDER (Honey)
H.E. the Ambassador of Yemen ABDULWAHAB A. AL-HAJJRI (Saboura)
H.E. the Ambassador of Jordan His Royal Highness Prince ZEID BIN RA’AD AL-HUSSEIN and Her Royal Highness Princess SARAH ZEID
Justice and Mrs. SAMUEL ALITO, JR. (Martha-Ann)
H.E. the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia ADEL BIN AHMED AL-JUBEIR
Mr. and Mrs. JOE L. ALLBRITTON (Barbara Jean)
Mr. and Mrs. ROBERT ALLBRITTON (Elena)
H. E. the Ambassador of Kuwait Sheikh SALEM ABDULLAH AL-SABAH and Sheikha RIMA AL-SABAH
Mrs. STEWART J.O. ALSOP (Elizabeth)
Mr. and Mrs. ROBERT ALTMAN (Lynda Carter)
Mr. and Mrs. MICHAEL ANSARI (Karen)
The Honorable JAIME APARACIO
Mrs. PAMELA MOTA DE CUNHA APARACIO
Mrs. R. W. APPLE, JR. (Betsey)
Mr. and Mrs. ARTHUR W. ARUNDEL (Margaret)
Mr. and Mrs. JOHN ARUNDEL (Christine)
Mr. and Mrs. PETER W. ARUNDEL (Brady)
Mrs. MARTIN ATLAS (Liane)
B
Mr. SMITH BAGLEY and the Honorable ELIZABETH FRAWLEY BAGLEY
The Honorable HOWARD H. BAKER and the Honorable NANCY LANDON KASSEBAUM
H. E. the Ambassador of Colombia CAROLINA BARCO
Mr. ROBERT BARNETT and Ms. RITA BRAVER
Mr. MICHAEL BARONE
Mr. and Mrs. CHARLES L. BARTLETT (Martha)
Mr. and Mrs. HARRY BELIN (Susan)
Mr. and Mrs. MORTON BENDER (Grace)
Mrs. W. TAPLEY BENNETT, JR. (Margaret)
The Honorable and Mrs. WILLIAM J. BENNETT (Elayne)
Mr. and Mrs. ADAM K. BERNSTEIN (Tracy)
The Honorable and Mrs. STUART A. BERNSTEIN (Wilma)
Mr. and Mrs. MAX N. BERRY (Heidi)
Mr. and Mrs. ALBERT J. BEVERIDGE, III (Madzy)
The Honorable and Mrs. JAMES H. BILLINGTON (Marjorie)
Mrs. WORTH BINGHAM (Joan)
The Honorable and Mrs. ROBERT O. BLAKE (Sylvia)
Mr. ANTONY BLINKEN and Ms. EVAN RYAN
Representative and Mrs. ROY BLUNT (Abigail)
Mrs. FRANCIS BOARDMAN (Ann)
The Honorable LINDY BOGGS
Mr. and Mrs. THOMAS HALE BOGGS (Barbara)
Mrs. SAMUEL BOGLEY (Rose Marie)
Count and Countess PEDER BONDE (Clarissa)
Senator BARBARA BOXER and Mr. STEWART BOXER
Mr. BENJAMIN C. BRADLEE and Ms. SALLY QUINN
Mr. and Mrs. DAVID G. BRADLEY (Katherine)
Mrs. B. RIONDA BRAGA (Mary)
Justice and Mrs. STEPHEN G. BREYER (Joanna)
Mr. and Mrs. ARTURO E. BRILLEMBOURG (Hilda Ochoa)
The Honorable NANCY G. BRINKER
The Honorable and Mrs. WILLIAM E. BROCK, III (Sandra)
Mr. and Mrs. RAYMOND C. BROPHY (Jeanette)
Mr. and Mrs. LEONARD H. BROWN, III (Diane Ray)
Mr. and Mrs. PRESTON BROWN (Eva)
Mrs. RONALD H. BROWN (Alma)
Mrs. DAVID S. BRUCE (Janet)
Mr. and Mrs. E. EDWARD BRUCE (Marnelle)
H.E. the Ambassador of the European Union and Mrs. JOHN BRUTON (Finola)
Mr. and Mrs. WILLIAM L. BRYANT (Aliki)
The Honorable and Mrs. ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI (Emilie)
Mrs. RUTH HALE BUCHANAN
Mr. and Mrs. WILEY T. BUCHANAN, III (Janis)
Mr. and Mrs. CHILDS F. BURDEN (Elaine)
Mr. and Mrs. I. TOWNSEND BURDEN, III (Valerie)
Mrs. EDWARD B. BURLING, JR. (Frida)
Col. U.S.A.F. (Ret.) and Mrs. HOWARD L. BURRIS (Barbara)
Mrs. GAHL HODGES BURT
The Honorable RICHARD R. BURT
The President of the United States GEORGE W. BUSH and First Lady LAURA BUSH
Mr. and Mrs. MARVIN BUSH (Margaret)
The Honorable HARRY FLOOD BYRD, JR.
C
Mr. and Mrs. CALVIN CAFRITZ (Jane)
Mr. and Mrs. CONRAD CAFRITZ (Ludmila)
Mrs. PEGGY COOPER CAFRITZ
Mr. and Mrs. WILLIAM N. CAFRITZ (‘Buffy’)
Mr. DAVID CALLEO and the Honorable AVIS T. BOHLEN
Mrs. CHARLES A. CAMALIER, JR. (Anne)
Mr. and Mrs. CHARLES A. CAMALIER, III (Patricia)
Mr. and Mrs. F. DAVIS CAMALIER (Lynda)
Ms. LORI D. CAMALIER
Mr. and Mrs. MICHAEL CANTACUZENE (Elizabeth)
Mr. and Mrs. RODION CANTACUZENE (Melissa)
Mr. L. MICHAEL CANTOR and Ms. JENNY SPRINGER
The Honorable and Mrs. MORTIMER CAPLIN (Ruth)
Mr. and Mrs. BERNARD J. CARL (Joan)
Ms. MARGARET CARLSON
The Honorable and Mrs. RICHARD W. CARLSON (Patricia)
Mr. and Mrs. TUCKER CARLSON (Susan)
The Honorable and Mrs. FRANK C. CARLUCCI (Marcia)
Mr. JAMES CARNEY and Ms. CLAIRE SHIPMAN
Mr. and Mrs. JORGE E. CARNICERO (Jacqueline)
Mr. and Mrs. JORGE J. CARNICERO (Rima)
Mrs. CONSTANCE CARTER
Mrs. MCGHEE CARTER (Marcia)
Mr. TOM CARVER and Ms. KATY KAY
Mrs. EUGENE B. CASEY (Betty)
Mr. and Mrs. HENRY C. CASHEN, II (Diana)
H.E. the Ambassador of Italy and Mrs. GIOVANNI CASTELLANETA (Leila)
Mr. and Mrs. ENRICO CECCHI (Andrea)
Mr. and Mrs. GIUSEPPE CECCHI (Mercedes)
Mr. KEVIN ST. C. CHAFFEE
Mrs. DAVID CHALLINOR (Joan)
H.E. the Ambassador of Lebanon and Mrs. ANTOINE CHEDID (Nicole)
H.E. the Ambassador of Singapore HENG CHEE CHAN
Rt. Rev. JOHN BRYSON CHANE, Episcopal Bishop of Washington, and Mrs. CHANE (Karen)
Secretary of Labor ELAINE LAN CHAO and Senator MITCH MCCONNELL
Mr. and Mrs. ALDUS H. CHAPIN (Dolly)
The Honorable and Mrs. JOHN E. CHAPOTON (Sally)
The Honorable and Mrs. O. DONALDSON CHAPOTON (Mary Jo)
Ms. ELLEN MACNEILLE CHARLES
Prince and Princess DAVID CHAVCHAVADZE (Eugenie)
The Vice President of the United States and Mrs. RICHARD B. CHENEY (Lynne)
The Secretary of Homeland Security and ?Mrs. MICHAEL CHERTOFF (Meryl)
Mr. and Mrs. R. J. CICERO (Catherine Conover)Mrs. BRICE MCADOO CLAGETT (Diana)
Mr. HENRY C. B. CLAGETT, JR.
The Honorable and Mrs. RAYMOND C. CLEVENGER, III (Leslie)
The Honorable WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON and Senator HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
Mr. and Mrs. CALVIN H. COBB, JR. (Olive)
Mr. and Mrs. JOHN COCHRAN (Barbara)
Senator THAD COCHRAN (Rose)
Mr. and Mrs. ANDREW COCKBURN (Leslie)
The Honorable and Mrs. WILLIAM S. COHEN (Janet Langhart)
The Honorable and Mrs. WILLIAM T. COLEMAN (Lovida)
Mr. and Mrs. RICHARD T. CONROY (Sarah Boothe)
The Honorable ESTHER COOPERSMITH
The Honorable HOLLAND H. COORS
Mr. ROBERT CORBY
Dr. and Mrs. MILTON CORN (Gilan Tocco)
