Kensington Palace: Is It Worth Visiting? Our Honest Guide
Kensington Palace gates All photos by John O’Boyle / The Empty Nest Explorers
Updated: April 12, 2026
Kensington Palace is worth a visit, we’ve gone more than once. It is smaller and more personal than Buckingham Palace, it is open year round, and the gardens outside are free.
One caveat before you book. The Queen's State Apartments are closed until spring 2027 for major work. You are seeing less of the palace right now than you would have a year ago.
We have been several times over the years. Our most recent visit was something else.
We watched a royal helicopter land on the palace grounds. We found out later it was delivering Princess Anne. A few days later we were walking to a bus stop nearby on Coronation Day. William and Catherine drove right past us with the kids, all smiles and waves.
That's Kensington Palace for you. You just never know what you'll see.
On that same trip we treated ourselves to tea and a full tour of the palace. We enjoyed every bit of it.
| 📍 Address | Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX |
| 🕐 Hours | Generally 10am to 6pm in summer, closing earlier in winter. Last entry is an hour before closing. |
| ℹ️ Before You Go | Opening days shift with the season, and the palace closes at short notice for royal events. Check the official calendar for your date. |
| 🎟️ Tickets | Roughly £20 to £25 for an adult, depending on the season and whether a special exhibition is running. Seniors, students and children pay less. Book at hrp.org.uk. |
| ⚠️ Currently Closed | The Queen's State Apartments are closed until spring 2027 for major work. |
| 🌲 Gardens | Kensington Gardens and the Sunken Garden are free and open daily. No palace ticket needed. |
| ⏳ Time Needed | Two hours for the palace. Add an hour for the gardens. |
| 🚇 Nearest Tube | High Street Kensington (Circle, District) or Queensway (Central). Both about a 10 minute walk. |
| 📷 Photography | Allowed throughout. No flash, tripods, selfie sticks or gimbals. |
About Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace has been a home to members of the Royal Family for over 300 years. It is the birthplace of Queen Victoria and still home to several royals today, most notably, the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine, and their children, when they are in the city.
Though you are not likely to see any of them meandering around - they have private entrances, of course - it is a busy place and popular with visitors. As palaces go, the pretty red brick exterior may appear to the casual observer to be somewhat modest, even homey, but don’t let that fool you. It has a long history of spectacular parties and court balls, and some eccentric, lively residents.
Consisting of 547 rooms that make up several “apartments”, Kensington Palace evolved from a modest mansion house and “country retreat” for William III & Mary II, (imagine thinking of the heart of London as the country!) into a fashionable home for Britain’s young royal families. Acting as a dormitory of sorts, there were so many royal relatives residing there during the 1920s & 1930s that Edward VIII (later the Duke of Windsor) playfully referred to the palace as "the aunt heap."
Familiar royal names of those who have called Kensington Palace home include Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales, (with King Charles when they were married) and her children Princes William and Harry when they were young. I don’t think I can ever forget the images of the mountain of flowers outside the palace on the news after Princess Diana died.
Currently, the Duke of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester reside at Kensington Palace.
While visiting the Gardens, we got to see a Royal helicopter, in its recognizable maroon livery color, coming in for a landing at the palace. We later learned that it had been delivering Princess Anne, the Princess Royal. So there was our first brush with royalty involving Kensington Palace! There would be another, a few days later.
On our previous trips to London, we always opted to take the “free” route and admire the views of Kensington Palace from the outside, while walking through Kensington Gardens and the greater area of Hyde Park. But this time we decided to get a ticket and see inside. A very good idea, it turned out!
View out a Kensington Palace window
Getting tickets to tour Kensington Palace
Before you book, check which days the palace is open for your dates. The schedule changes with the season, and it has changed more than once in recent years. Plenty of guides still list the old Wednesday to Sunday timetable. Pull up the official calendar and go by that.
Tickets are available through the Historic Royal Palaces website.
An adult ticket runs roughly £20 to £25. The exact price depends on the season and whether a special exhibition is running. Seniors, students and children pay less, and Historic Royal Palaces members go free. Check the official page for the current figure.
Booking ahead is the safer move. Visitor numbers are limited and popular dates fill up. We booked ours the day of and got in without a problem, but that was a weekday.
Your ticket covers self-guided access to all public areas of the palace and gardens, plus whatever temporary exhibit is on.
A free audio guide is included. You pick one up at the Hub, next to the ticket scanning desk. They go out first come, first served, and at busy times there can be a wait. When we visited, there were none available.
Photography and personal video are both welcome throughout the palace. No flash, and leave the tripods, selfie sticks and gimbals at home. If you are unsure about a specific exhibit, ask a member of staff. Some items on loan carry their own restrictions.
Kensington Palace is included in Go City Explorer Pass. These kinds of compilation passes can be a great value when visiting the city, but make sure you do the math first, to see if the sights it includes mesh with your plans and that you will be making good use of it before you buy.Note - This blog post contains affiliate links. This means that if we recommend a product, activity, or hotel, we might receive a small commission if you buy or book from these links. This is done at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we have personally used or have thoroughly researched.
Are Castles your thing? You might enjoy these posts:
How to visit Buckingham Palace
Visiting Windsor Castle: a complete guide
A more complete guide of all our castle posts is further below.
The King’s Staircase.
Some Highlights from inside Kensington Palace
The part of the palace you will get to see on the tour is not where the current royals live, but it is the oldest part of the palace. There are both permanent and temporary exhibits.
Here’s what a visitor ticket includes:
Victoria: A Royal Childhood
The King's State Apartments
The Queen's State Apartments (closed until spring 2027)
The Jewel Room
Temporary exhibits
Victoria: A Royal Childhood
Queen Victoria isn’t really my favorite historical figure, but you have to give her creds for impact. She pretty much populated all the royal houses of Europe with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
This permanent exhibit explores Victoria's early life in the rooms where she was born and raised. It’s a little surreal to stand in the very room where she was born - it seems too humble for a future queen of her legacy.
But it is recreated to be authentic in style and furnishings - curators for Historic Royal Palaces have researched extensively into the decorative schemes of the period to make Victoria’s rooms come alive. There are also many personal artifacts on display, such as Victoria’s dollhouse and a scrapbook kept by her governess.
Victoria’s childhood wasn't always a happy one - she was so sheltered, she was practically a prisoner here. But she did have her happy moments. There's a plaque mounted on the modest staircase where she first met Prince Albert, her future husband and royal consort. Thanks to the personal diaries Victoria always kept, visitors now get to read her private impressions of him in the place where she experienced those powerful blue eyes for the first time.
Queen Victoria’s birthplace at Kensington Palace.
The King’s and Queen’s State Apartments
Important update - The Queen's State Apartments are closed until spring 2027
The King’s Apartments and the Queen’s Apartments were the rooms of William and Mary when they first acquired Kensington Palace. Yes, they each had a separate set of rooms for audiences, entertaining, and personal chambers, even though they were the first and only couple to rule jointly (they were both reigning monarchs). Go figure.
Interestingly, they were also the monarchs who signed the Bill of Rights that gave proper power to Parliament and began the process of creating the parliamentary democracy that exists in Britain today.
The King’s Staircase is one of the most strikingly grand features of Kensington Palace. It was originally designed by Christopher Wren and later updated by William Kent under George I. There are forty-five, life-like people painted on the walls; real people who you could expect to meet if you came to the Georgian court. It’s worth stopping and taking in this grand scene.
Also particularly impressive was the Cupola room. Be sure to look up at the magnificently domed ceiling, which is an optical illusion cleverly painted to look more “domed” than it really is - as a photographer, I love visual plays like that! In the middle of the gold and blue ceiling is the star of the Order of the Garter, the oldest and most prestigious order of chivalry in the country..
The Cupola Room in Kensington Palace.
You can keep abreast of Kensington Palace exhibits and goings-on through the Historic Royal Palaces website.
This is just one of our favorite London experiences. For the full picture see: Best Things to Do in London: From Royal Palaces to Funky Markets
Temporary exhibits
On a previous visit, we got to see the Crown to Couture exhibit, touted as “the starriest fashion exhibition London has ever seen”. The exhibit drew parallels between the world of today’s red carpet and the Georgian Royal Court in the 18th century. Like New York’s Met Gala of today, the Georgian court at Kensington Palace was the place to see and be seen, make an impression, or a statement.
Spread throughout the Palace's sumptuous State Apartments and the Piggott Galleries, we saw a feast of couture items from ceremonial ball gowns and court suits to recent fashions worn by Beyoncé to the 2017 Grammy Awards (loved the Beefeaters around her) and the custom Moschino chandelier-inspired outfit worn by Katy Perry at the 2019 Met Gala.
This immersive exhibit also utilized sound design elements, engaging the viewer in the buzz of a party at the palace.
The Crown to Couture exhibit has closed, but we’re leaving it in this post to give you an idea of what the temporary exhibits are like.
Beyoncé dress on exhibit at Kensington Palace.
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The Jewel Room & Queen Victoria’s Tiara
I am truly a sucker for a sparkly jewel, so it was really fun to see Queen Victoria’s diamond and emerald tiara on display, alongside the Kokoshnik tiara and Fife tiara that belonged to her granddaughter, Princess Louise. These items are generously on loan from the family. There is plenty more dazzling bling in the Jewel Room.
There aren’t really a lot of places to see royal jewels in person, except for the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, and some special exhibits that pop up here and there for particular celebrations. So the Jewel Room at Kensington Palace is a treat.
Queen Victoria’s diamond and emerald parure.
The Kensington Palace Shop and Café
Just an aside, as gift shops go, the Kensington Palace Shop is a particularly good one, I think! Very large and lots of gorgeous gift items. So good that I went through it twice while the hubs waited in the queue at the cafe for snacks.
The Palace Café is pretty nice, and has some tasty bites and refreshments, but it is unfortunately a victim of what we call the “common feeder line” - where you can’t pass the person in front of you if they have a special order and all you want to do is grab the ready-to-go item beyond them. This situation always causes longer queues and wait times, so plan accordingly.
The outside seating area is quite lovely though, with a decent amount of tables and we enjoyed our little respite there after walking through the palace exhibits.
You don’t need an entry ticket to visit the Palace Shop or the Café, but if you do have one, once you get to this area, you are done - you can’t re-enter the Palace from there.
But for an even nicer eating experience, why not do Tea at the Palace?
Debbie and John enjoying tea at Kensington Palace
Afternoon Tea at Kensington Palace
To celebrate a special wedding anniversary, we treated ourselves to a traditional British Tea at Kensington Palace.
Afternoon tea is served at the Orangery. Built in 1704, the Orangery sits within its own gardens and is a stunning venue for dining or scheduling high-end private events all year round. It touts itself as “royally inspired”.
This is a free-standing establishment and not “in” the palace per se; but it boasts “stunning panoramic views of the palace” from the sunny terrace, weather permitting.
The Orangery also prides itself on sustainability. I think King Charles would approve! Ingredients are sourced locally, and ethically, ensuring the freshest produce while supporting the community. They will also provide you with up-to-date allergen information on their offerings.
Since the Orangery was still being renovated during our anniversary visit, and our tea service was held at the temporary Pavilion, but it was the same experience as would be expected at Kensington Palace.
Everything was sweet and elegant at our tea service. I loved the delicately patterned royal china with crowns and fancies!
Traditional finger sandwiches, scones, delightful tea and desserts, were all really delicious and we were treated to special pastries for King Charles’ coronation, as this was during Coronation Week. But something a little special is dreamed up for every occasion.
(The photos of our Tea Service are from The Pavilion.)
So here are some thoughts on booking Teatime at the Orangery at Kensington Palace:
Absolutely make a reservation. Tea at the palace is a popular attraction, and with the Orangery just recently refurbished, interest is further heightened. While walk-ins are accepted, they do not get priority seating. Reservations get priority for outdoor or window seating, though you can’t specifically reserve those tables - they are handled on a “first come, first serve” basis, with priority given to those with reservations. Reserve your table at The Orangery at Kensington Palace.
We would highly recommend eating on the terrace if you can. All of the park and gardens around Kensington Palace are just so lovely. Although the newly renovated interiors are beautiful, enjoying the outside setting is very special.
Afternoon tea is not just for the afternoon. The Orangery is open daily from 10am to 6pm, and you can make a reservation for “Afternoon Tea” anytime between 10:00am–4:30pm. We had ours in the late morning, at “elevenses” as the Brits say. It appeared to be much less busy at this time than later.
The Orangery doesn’t only offer tea service. You can also enjoy breakfast or lunch there for a heartier but no less interesting menu. Reservations are also recommended for breakfast or lunch.
You don’t need a ticket to Kensington Palace to have tea at the Orangery. All are welcome! Historic Royal Palaces members enjoy 10% off.
I think this is a “special day” kind of experience, as it is a little pricey. I wouldn’t expect to come to a palace looking for a bargain, after all!!
Check their website for closures - The Orangery also hosts private events, so it may not always be open for bookings.
Kensington Palace Gardens
Absolutely don’t miss out on the gardens around the palace! These world-celebrated gardens of Kensington Palace are modestly described on Google Maps as “green expanse west of Hyde Park”. Quite the understatement!
William and Mary annexed this section of the greater Hyde Park to create a beautiful private garden for their new London home. Today this peaceful, green oasis is open to the public to enjoy.
The Sunken Garden is a visitor favorite. The lovely terraced flower garden is arranged around a rectangular pond, designed to be viewed from the surrounding covered Cradle Walk, a shady arbor so nicknamed for being a favored meeting space for the nannies of the palace to walk their charges in their prams.
Kensington Palace Princess Diana memorial statue.
The Sunken Garden is said to have been one of Princess Diana’s favorite spaces when she lived at the Palace, and a memorial statue to her was placed here by her sons in 2021. Over 4,000 individual flowers were planted for the dedication of the statue, primarily in shades of white and pink. Whites and pastels are usually the colors used to specifically represent the Princess.
You can’t enter the Sunken Garden or walk up to the statue, but definitely take a walk around the perimeter and have a look in.
If you are visiting with grandchildren, the Diana Memorial Playground is right there in Kensington Gardens and free to enter. It's a wonderful spot for little ones to burn off some energy while the grown-ups enjoy the gardens.
Bird nerd alert: I was delighted to spot a Mandarin Duck sunning itself at the edge of the pond. ;)
Diana fans can further their experience by following The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Walk. The route is marked by 90 bronze plaques that lead the visitor over a seven mile trail that takes in four Royal Parks, three palaces and two mansions, all of which were special to Princess Diana at different times in her life.
Of course, the many formal gardens of Kensington Palace are beautiful - the Italian Gardens and Victorian Flower Walks are carefully designed to be breathtaking - but there is something charmingly sweet about the wildflower meadow. This natural area to the southeast of the palace includes poppies, campion, daisies, and many other native wildflowers, which bloom in the summer months. But the flowers are not only pretty - they provide much-needed food and shelter to pollinators and other insects trying to survive in the city. Showing our buzzy critters some love.
And if you are like me and wildlife particularly interests you, the ducks and waterfowl of the Round Water and Long Water areas will certainly delight. Lots of variety! Love the plucky Tufted Ducks and of course the Mute Swans, which are special darlings of Kensington Gardens as there is a significant population of them here.
Kensington Gardens is also a great place for statue and monument hunting. There is literally tons of public art here! Of course there’s one of Queen Victoria (she’s everywhere) and a bronze William III in his jaunty, feathered hat, but that’s only the beginning. Be sure to look for the gilded flower details on the Golden Gate in front of the south facade of the palace, representing the countries of the UK - they are just exquisite and I found myself mesmerized by them. Also look for subtle lions and unicorns, symbols of the Crown, all about the park. The gleaming gold of the Albert Memorial is also a stunning, popular monument. But not every artwork is grand - the sweet pair of embracing bears on a fountain is equally delightful.
Of all the statues, Peter Pan is my favorite. He’s placed by The Long Water, in the exact spot where Peter lands in J.M. Barrie's 1902 book “The Little White Bird” after flying out of his nursery. Barrie lived nearby on Bayswater Road and many of his stories were inspired by the gardens of Kensington Palace and Hyde Park.
If gardens are particularly your thing, you might enjoy another one of our great London area posts, London’s Kew Gardens: planning your visit.
As previously mentioned, Kensington Gardens is part of the massive Hyde Park, and that can be a post unto itself, so we won’t go into that here. Let it be said, though, that London does these large parks particularly well. I think this comes from the famous English affection for a walkabout, as these are all great places for a walk, whether short and brisk or long and relaxing. Most of the Royal Parks started out as personal hunting grounds for the monarch when the outdoor sporting life was a pursuit only for the well-to-do. How much better it is today that they are maintained for the public to enjoy!
For some other thoughts on Royal Parks, see our post A Quick Guide to Exploring London’s Parks. We also include information about the parks in our post on Windsor Castle. and Planning your trip to London in Winter.
The Royal Parks website is also a great resource.
Royal Parks has a delightful Park Shop, located at the Boat House by the Serpentine in Hyde Park. The shop’s high-quality products are locally sourced and conservation-focused, with proceeds going to maintain the parks.
There is also a new location at Duck Island Cottage at St James Park.
I only wish that they sold shirts or hats featuring their marvelous logo though! I’ve long admired it. C’mon, Royal Parks, do a girl a solid and make some Royal Parks spirit merch!! ;)
Kensington Palace sunken garden
Looking for a modern London experience? Check out What to do at Battersea Power Station.
How to get to Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is located within easy walking distance of the following Underground Stations:
High Street Kensington Underground Station (Circle and District) - about a 10-minute walk to the palace entrance through Kensington Gardens, entering the park via Black Lion Gate.
Queensway Underground Station (Central) - also about a 10-minute walk along Kensington High Street and into Kensington Gardens, entering the park via King’s Arms Gate.
Paddington Station is also just a 20-minute walk away if you're traveling by train. For train tickets in Europe, we recommend booking through Trainline. We personally use Trainline often while traveling in Europe - it’s a great resource that makes comparing ticket prices and bookings easy.
You can also reach Kensington Palace by bus.
The 70, 94 and 148 buses will take you to Bayswater Road, a 5-minute walk from the palace.
The 9, 49, 52, 70 and 452 have stops along Kensington High Street, again just 5 minutes from Kensington Gardens.
Flowers outside Kensington Palace
Incidentally, it was when walking to a bus stop near Kensington Palace that we had our second royal encounter of the trip. The Prince and Princess of Wales, with their children drove right past us on Coronation Day, on their way from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey, all smiles and waves.
You just never know what you will see tooling around Central London. Eyes open and happy travels! ;)
Kensington Palace FAQ
Do you need to book tickets in advance?
We'd recommend it, especially in summer or on weekends. Numbers are limited and popular dates do sell out. We actually booked ours the day of and got in without a problem, but that was a weekday visit. Book online through Historic Royal Palaces to be safe.
Is Kensington Palace open on Mondays?
It depends on the season. For several years the palace was closed Mondays and Tuesdays, and plenty of older guides still say that. When we last checked the summer calendar it was open all seven days. Historic Royal Palaces publishes the schedule season by season, so check the official calendar for your date.
Can you visit Kensington Gardens without buying a palace ticket?
Yes, and it's completely free. The gardens are open daily from 6 am. You can walk right up to the outside of the palace, see the Sunken Garden and the Diana statue, and wander through the park without a ticket at all.
How long should you plan for a visit?
Plan on at least two hours for the palace itself, more if you want to really take your time. Add another hour or so to enjoy the gardens. We were there most of a morning, between the tea and the palace tour.
Is afternoon tea at the Orangery worth it?
We think so, for a special occasion. We did ours for our anniversary and loved it. It's on the pricier side, which you'd expect at a palace. Book ahead since it fills up quickly, especially on weekends.
Further reading: our other blog posts about palaces and castles:
If palaces and castles interest you, we’ve got some other blog posts you may enjoy.
In United Kingdom:
Visiting Buckingham Palace covers what you need to know to plan your visit to London’s number one royal residence,, Buckingham Palace.
Visit the Royal Mews the working stables of Buckingham Palace tells you all about visiting the working stables of Buckingham Palace, where they keep all those beautiful coaches and fancy cars, an active and important part of palace life.
Windsor Castle: a complete guide to planning your day trip from London will help you plan your visit to Windsor Castle, home to British royalty for over 900 years and a fascinating place to see.
Visiting the White Cliffs of Dover: a perfect day trip from London discusses in depth the historic walking trail of the White Cliffs of Dover, but it also touches on visiting the brooding Dover Castle that looms over the English Channel.
Is Edinburgh Castle Worth Visiting? Our Honest Reviewhelps you plan your trip to te castle and how to beat the crowds.
Visiting Glamis Castle: Our Complete Guidetraces the history of the palace including the conection to King George VI plus practical tips to plan your trip.
Is the Inverness Castle Experience Worth It? Our Honest Review we review the recent major enhancements to the castle tour and discuss if the visit is worth it.
Madrid: our favorite things to doincludes Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace of Madrid), the official home of the royal family of Spain, as one of our favorite things in Madrid.
Visiting Segovia: a perfect day trip from Madrid includes info on touring the Alcazar of Segovia, one of the most distinctive castles in Spain, and said to be an inspiration for the castle in Walt Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”.
2 days in Seville: a guide for first-time visitors includes one of the most interesting and popular sights to see in Seville, the Real Alcazar, the well-preserved royal palace that spans centuries of Seville’s history, and is one of the oldest royal residences in the country.
About the Authors
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John and Debbie O'Boyle are the team behind The Empty Nest Explorers. John is a professional photographer whose work has been published by The New York Times, NBC News, and Getty Images. He is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers, has been part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team, and has received two New York Emmy nominations. Debbie is a writer and photographer with 30+ years of experience, formerly with The Star-Ledger and NJ.com. Together, they create in-depth travel guides for couples and empty-nest travelers who want to make the most of every destination. Learn more about John and Debbie here. |
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