On Monday, Ellie Kemper became a trending topic on Twitter after a user posted pictures of her being crowned in 1999 at the Veiled Prophet Ball at the age of 19. The group that ran the ball was an exclusive, mostly white organization. Some on social media branded Kemper as a “KKK Queen.”
Kemper is part of one of the wealthiest families in Missouri. The actress’ father, David Woods Kemper, is the CEO of Commerce Bancshares and her great-great-grandfather, William Thornton Kemper, was a railroad industrialist.
The actress grew up in St. Louis, where the Veiled Prophet Organization has held a debutante ball since 1878. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the debutante ball crowns a new queen from “historic St. Louis families.” The Dispatch has a picture of the former Office star at her crowning in 1999.
