Kensington Palace
With its present day setting in the heart of West London, Kensington Palace was originally purchased as a rural retreat by King William III and Queen Mary II. A stylish royal home for over three centuries, Kensington’s glittering State Apartments served as the centre of court life under the first Georgian kings. Queen Victoria was born at Kensington on 24 May 1819, and eighteen years later it was here that she awoke to news of her own accession to the throne. Today, visitors can explore the very suite of rooms she grew up in, complete with their elegant 1820s interior scheme.
Parts of Kensington Palace have remained a private royal residence, and in recent years the palace has been home to both Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales, who was regularly spotted browsing the boutiques in nearby Knightsbridge. Among its current residents are The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their family. To find out more and book your visit:
hrp.org.uk/Kensington-Palace