Kensington Palace

Located in Central London, Kensington Palace is a royal palace used as the official residence for members of the Royal Family to date. The Palace has a history that stretches back to the 17th century and has been the residence of the royals for over 300 years. Set amidst the scenic Kensington Gardens, Kensington Palace is a tranquil solace from the bustling lanes of London. A visit to Kensington Palace allows one to explore the royal way of life through a range of attractions and artefacts inside the premises.

History

Once upon a time, Kensington Palace, as we know it today, was a suburban villa in Nottingham known as Nottingham House. In 1689, King William III and Queen Mary II bought this house as the king suffered from asthma and needed to move away from Whitehall Palace to a place with cleaner air. Hence, Nottingham House was bought from the Earl of Nottingham as a country retreat to occasionally escape the dank air of London but stay close to the courtly affairs. After William III died in 1702, the palace became the home of Queen Anne, sister to Queen Mary. Sir Christopher Wren designed the Orangery, and Henry Wise designed a large garden for Queen Anne during the period she stayed. Queen Victoria is said to have spent most of her childhood at the Palace before she left for Buckingham Palace in 1837.

In modern times, Kensington Palace was known as the London residence of Diana, Princess of Wales. The palace opened to the curious public in 1899, a few years before Queen Victoria's death. It immediately became the home of the London Museum before the museum moved to its current Barbican headquarters.

Today, it continues to serve as a residence to several members of the Royal Family. In 2012, the latest renovation to Kensington Palace was undertaken, which took a period of 2 years to complete and a total of £12 million.

Top 5 Things to See Inside Kensington Palace

The interiors of Kensington Palace are nothing short of breathtaking. After all, the royals have been staying there for over 300 years, so it is only fair that the opulence is garishly visible in both its exteriors and interiors. While touring Kensington Palace, here are the parts you should watch out for.

The King's State Apartments

Furniture and paintings from the Stuart-Hanoverian periods are on display in this section of the palace, along with rooms from the Victorian era and works of art from the extensive Royal Collection. The King's State Apartments are made up of the following: The King's Staircase, The Privy Chamber, the Presence Chamber, The King's Drawing Room, The King's Gallery, The Cupola Room, and The Council Chamber. The King's Gallery is the longest and the largest of the apartments at the Palace, so spend some time ambling the length of it. While you're here, don't forget to look up and witness the magnificent ceiling painted by William Kent in 1723, which looks new to date.

The Queen's State Apartments

The Queen’s Apartments are dedicated to Queen Mary and the time she spent during the days she and King William lived in Kensington Palace. While you’re strolling through this section of Kensington Palace, make sure to pay keen attention to the Queen’s Staircase, the Queen’s Gallery filled with ornamental artefacts, the Queen’s closet, the Queen’s Dining Room, and the Queen’s Drawing Room, which holds an intertwined monogram of William and Mary’s initials in a beautifully carved cornice. The very last and most sought-after room in the Queen's State Apartments is the Queen's Bedroom, in which Queen Victoria went to sleep a princess and awoke a Queen at the age of 18.

Modern Royals

The Modern Royals section, recently dubbed "Fashion Rules Restyled," is a set of 5 rooms with elegant displays that take you through a journey down decades of royal wardrobes by 3 royal women - Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, and Princess Diana. Flaunting 18 couture dresses, this exhibition drips with diamonds, pearls, and class; showcasing the trends of their respective eras and how the Queens negotiated the rules of dressing fashionably while staying within the rules of a royal wardrobe. Apart from the royal couture, framed magazine covers of the Queens wearing the gowns and sketches of dress ideas scribbled by historic designers are on display. Videos of instances when the Queens adorned the gowns are projected as well. This is the closest one can get to seeing the royal wardrobe up close, so don't skip this!

Victoria Revealed

Inspired by Queen Victoria's journals and featuring displays of her personal objects in the rooms where she once lived, the Victoria Revealed tour of Kensington Palace gives one an intimate account of Queen Victoria's life. Princess Victoria was born in 1819 at Kensington Palace and spent most of her childhood in the palace with her mother, the Duchess of Kent. She became a queen at the age of 18, and her very first Privy Council meeting was held in Kensington Palace’s Red Saloon. Victoria Revealed explores many such milestones in her life and displays to the world various facets of the 18-year-old Queen who reigned for 63 years.

Sunken Garden

The Sunken Garden is a secluded green oasis born back in 1908 that transformed a potting shed into a classic ornamental garden. Its elaborate gardening style, with a range of flowers, an ornamental pond, and rotational seasonal flowers, is taken after the celebrated style that was fashionable back in the 18th century. The Sunken Garden is at its best from April to October, with a splash of vivid tulips, pansies, begonias, geraniums, and wallflowers blooming and adorning the grounds. While sauntering through the Sunken Gardens, make sure to walk through the White Garden, a natural space brimming with more than 12,000 lovingly hand-planted tulip bulbs, Persian lilies, treasure primrose wallflowers, and English roses; all in cream and white. The White Garden serves as an ode to Lady Diana, who loved the green spaces of Kensington Palace.

The Kensington Palace Gardens

The Kensington Gardens was initially a fragment of Hyde Park. When the Royal Family shifted into Kensington Palace, this western half of Hyde Park was sectioned off to make grounds for the Royals. Apart from Kensington Palace and the Sunken Garden within Kensington Gardens, there is a lot more to see in this lush land. Here is a list of a few things to watch out for at Kensington Gardens:

• Albert Memorial
• Statue of Peter Pan
• Serpentine Gallery
• Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground
• Italian Gardens
• Physical Energy Monument
• The Arch
• Queen Caroline's Temple
• Round Pond
• The Two Bears Fountain

Kensington Palace - All You Need to Know

Getting to Kensington Palace

Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX

Tube: The closest Underground Tube Stations to Kensington Palace are Queensway & Notting Hill Gate on the Central Line and High Street Kensington station on the District & Circle line.

Bus: If you're coming by bus to Kensington Palace, you can take bus numbers 70, 94, 148, and 390 to Bayswater Road or 9, 10, 49, 52, 70, and 452 to Kensington High Street.

Train: Kensington (Olympia) and Paddington Station are the closest train stations from Kensington Palace. These stations are a 20 to 25-minute walk away; hence, tubes or buses that drop you closer are recommended.

Car: The palace is located off the A40 Bayswater Road and the A315. From M4, drive until A4 and go until the junction with the B325, then turn left onto Gloucester Road. From here, drive until the end of the road, and at the A315 junction, turn left to reach the Kensington Palace entrance.

Note, Kensington Palace is within the London Congestion Charge Zone; hence, high parking fees are applicable. Since the Palace has no parking facility, you will be required to park on Young Street off Kensington High Street or under the Royal Garden Hotel on Kensington High Street and walk to the Palace.

Kensington Palace Hours

Hours for the Palace, Gardens, and the Facilities:

Summer (March 2 - October 31)
Wednesday to Sunday - 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Last admission - 5:00 PM
The Sunken Garden is open from Wednesday to Sunday - 10:00 AM to 5:45 PM

Winter (October 31 - March 1)
Wednesday to Sunday - 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Last admission - 3:00 PM
The Sunken Garden is open from Wednesday to Sunday - 10:00 AM to 3:45 PM

Do check the opening and closing times for the date you wish to visit on the official website, as these timings are prone to changes.

Practical Information - Know Before You Visit Kensington Palace

If you're not particularly interested in royal history and if you're traveling with kids, it is advisable to give this attraction a miss as it may not appeal to you.

Keep aside 2-3 hours for a sedate tour of Kensington Palace and a relaxed stroll along the Kensington Gardens.

If you're a history buff, make sure to attend the “History Bites” talk hosted daily in the Visitor's Center, where an “expert” educates visitors on various aspects and facts of the palace. Attending these is free of cost and requires no prior booking. 

There are 2 restaurants in Kensington Palace - The Orangery, which offers breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea, and the Palace Cafe, which serves sandwiches, cakes, and pastries.