The official residence of the less prominent members of the Royal Family is in Kensington Gardens on the west side of Hyde Park.
The Royal Residence
Built by the Earl of Nottingham in 1605, the original building was then still outside the gates of the capital. In 1689, the Baroque residence was bought by William of Orange, and since then Kensington Palace has served as a popular residence for British monarchs.
For example, Queen Anne and Kings George I and George II used the palace as their main residence.
In the late 20th century, Kensington Palace was used by Prince Charles and Princess Diana, who occupied the palace until their deaths.
Today, Kensington Palace is occupied by Prince William and Duchess Kate.
Visit Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is open to the public, or rather its gardens, the Royal Route Rotten Row and part of the rooms where Princess Diana lived.
The main attraction, however, is the beautifully decorated royal study.
It isalways open Wednesday to Sunday, with times varying according to the seasons, see the official website.
Admission is set at 20 gbp for adults or 10 gbp for children, see details.
How to get to the palace?
The Royal Residence is on the western edge of Kensington Gardens and you can take a long walk here through Hyde Park.
Nearest tube station:
- High Street Kensington - 400 metres, District and Circle lines
- Queensway - 500 metres, Central line
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