| London Town Guide |
Kensington Palace
W8
Nearest Tube: High Street Kensington
This palace dates back to 1605 when it was the home of the Earl of Nottingham and was known as Nottingham House.
Then in 1688 King William III (1689-1702) decided to move to Kensington as he found that in Whitehall his asthma was aggravated by the pollution of the River Thames. It remained the main royal residence for the next 50 years or so until the reign of George III (1727-60). But even so Kensington Palace has retained its strong connections with royalty for it has been home to numerous royals over the years.
The most famous resident of recent years was Princess Diana who lived in some of the apartments until her death. This has made it one of London's top tourist attractions as visitors flock in their hundreds to see the home of the princess they loved. There have been some suggestions that the palace should be made a memorial to her.
But in the meantime it is still the sometime home of Princess Margaret and the Duke and Duchess of Kent so royalty lovers can still sometimes catch a glimpse of a royal.
You can see inside some of the rooms in the palace as part of hour-long tours of the State Apartments that are given daily from May to October. Highlights include the costumes of the Court Dress Collection, the Cupola Room and the King's Staircase.
The State Apartments are open 9am-5pm Mondays to Saturdays and 11am-5pm Sundays from May to October. Admission is around £7 for adults.
Outside the palace is Kensington Gardens where you can get refreshments at the 18th century Orangery.
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