Kensington Palace
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Kensington Palace - by George Tsiagalakis (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Description
Kensington Palace is a royal residence located in Kensington Gardens - it is currently the official residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Prince and Princess of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children. The State Rooms are open to public visit and managed by the Historical Royal Palaces charity. The original buildings date back to the early 17th century in the village of Kensington before being purchased by the then royal household at the back end of that same century and undergoing a substantial expansion under the supervision of Christopher Wren (of St Paul's fame). It was severely damaged during the Blitz of London and only underwent extensive renovation and upgrading in the 1960's. Some of the most famous occupants include Charles and Diana (Prince and Princess of Wales) until her death in 1997.
Access & Transport
The Palace is located within Kensington Gardens, a 5 mins walk to Bayswater rd / Queensway underground, 5 mins walk to Kensington rd and 10' walk to Kensington High Street and the similarly named underground station.
Instructions & Recommendations
We would recommend booking a ticket in advance. The Palace is best combined with the Kensington Gardens / Hyde Park around it and a visit of Royal Albert Hall or one of the various neighbourhoods within a 10' walk: Bayswater, Notting Hill, High Street Kensington and South Kensington.
Environmental & Social
Relatively neutral from both an environmental and social perspectives.
Conclusion
The Kensington Palace is not as grand as other Royal Residences in the UK, it was never meant to be and has always been more residential than a high-profile estate symbolizing the power of monarchy. As such, we would recommend it for tourists with a very keen interest for the British royal family and its historical figures and to those who have already visited the other Royal Palaces on previous trips.
Key positive
Plenty of famous residents throughout its history
Charming location in Kensington Gardens
Key negative
Nothing very impressive to see inside - by Royal standards that is
Expensive entrance fee
Suitability
Suitable for all ages but expect younger kids (<12 yrs old) to get bored. For visitors with limited mobility, there is straightforward ground level access and a lift serving all floors
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
May 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:0h 35m
est. visit time:1h 30m
Monday -
Tuesday -
Wednesday10:00 - 18:00
Thursday10:00 - 18:00
Friday10:00 - 18:00
Saturday10:00 - 18:00
Sunday10:00 - 18:00