Visiting Kensington Palace: All you need to know

Kensington Palace gates

Kensington Palace, the “second” royal residence in London after Buckingham Palace, offers a great half day for your London itinerary. You can tour the historic palace, check out specially curated changing exhibits, wander about tranquil Kensington Gardens, and enjoy a delightful teatime in style. 

In this post, we will cover a little bit of palace history, how to plan your visit and what to expect, plus our thoughts and tips from our own experience.

Located on the edge of beautiful Hyde Park in Central London, with many attractions in the surrounding area, Kensington Palace can easily be nestled into a day of broader sightseeing.

We celebrated a special day at Kensington Palace with an enchanting mid-morning tea and a tour of the palace, which was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. A solid thumbs up!

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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 a number of royals today, most notably, the Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, 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 and Duchess of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester reside at Kensington Palace. It was also the first marital home of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan.

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

Tickets are easily available through the Historic Royal Palaces website. It’s best to do this in advance, but we actually did it the day of and didn’t have a problem. Number of visitors is limited though, so if you can book ahead, that is always best.

The ticket includes self-guided access to all public areas of the palace and gardens and changing exhibits on display.  An adult ticket is about £25.

There was no free audio tour available but we found the signage to be very good with explanations. Also, there are many helpful attendants who love to share what they know.

Photo taking is allowed throughout the palace but no video recording of any kind, not even on your phone.

Kensington Palace is included in London Pass or 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.

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 we got to see inside:

• Victoria: A Royal Childhood  

• The King's State Apartments

• The Queen's State Apartments

• The Jewel Room

• Crown to Couture exhibition in the State Apartments and Piggott Galleries - (until 29 October 2023) 

Victoria: A Royal Childhood  

Queen Victoria isn’t really my favorite historical figure, but you have her 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 doll house 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

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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 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.

Seasonal exhibits

Kensington Palace often features interesting temporary exhibits that can be a mix of the contemporary and the historic. These can include anything from photography exhibits to full-blown immersive experiences.

I think this is a really fun aspect of the palace tour experience. I like what they are trying to do with this. Making use of these grand spaces for entertaining exhibits can appeal across age groups and levels of interest, and can make visiting a historic site like this more engaging.

Upcoming events for winter 2023/2024 include the Luna Winter Cinema, a series of festive holiday films played on a big screen at the Pavilion at Kensington Palace. For schedule and ticketing info, check the Luna Winter Cinema website.

You can keep abreast of Kensington Palace exhibits and goings-on through the Historic Royal Palaces website.

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On our visit in May, we got to see the Crown to Couture exhibit, touted as “the starriest fashion exhibition London has ever seen”. The exhibit draws 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 closed at the end of October, 2023.

Beyoncé dress on exhibit at Kensington Palace.

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, including several modern pieces that are part of the Crown to Couture exhibit. 

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!

Well, the site is actually at The Pavilion, not in the palace per se, but right amidst the action near the entrance to the palace and with a great view to the Sunken Garden and Cradle Walk. (more on these gardens below.) The Pavilion & Tea Room is the only place in London where you can enjoy a traditional afternoon tea within the grounds of a royal palace. 

We had a really great spot on the patio, looking toward the garden and everything was sweet and elegant. 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.  

Service was impeccable, as you might expect, and the experience was elegant, quiet and friendly. We weren’t rushed at all. I really can’t say a bad thing about it. We had a charming, special and romantic date. 

So here are some thoughts on booking Teatime at the Pavilion at Kensington Palace:

• Absolutely make a reservation. Tea at the palace is a popular attraction. While walk-ins are accepted, they do not get priority seating. Reservations get priority for outdoor seating. 

• The patio is the place to be; you can look out into the gardens and feel like you are part of what is going on. The indoor space is very nice (I had to go through there to use the bathroom - and of course to check it out) but it looks pretty much like a pretty wedding venue; there is nothing particularly “palacy” about it.  (Except maybe for the King & Queen icons on the bathroom doors!) Of course it is the same top-notch service, tableware and tasty food as outside, but location wise, it could be anywhere. It does have more space, so larger groups are seated there. 

• You can’t specifically reserve a table on the patio, but priority is given to people with reservations. We were lucky and happy it worked out for us!

• Afternoon tea is not just for the afternoon. 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 less busy at this time than later. 

• The Pavilion 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 Pavilion. All are welcome!

• Note that if you book a third party tour that includes teatime at the palace, you won’t be seated on the patio for tea. Groups are seated inside. 

• Reservations are made through OpenTable and a link is provided on their website, Kensington Palace Pavilion.  You can also view their menus. 

• 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 Pavilion is not open year round - it closes over the winter. Check for specific closures here.

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.

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 posts on Windsor Castle and Visiting London in Winter. 

The Royal Parks website is also a great resource. 

I was delighted to learn that Royal Parks has a new 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. I do wish they had shirts or something featuring their marvelous logo though! I’ve long admired it. C’mon, Royal Parks, do a girl a solid and make a Royal Parks shirt!!

Kensington Palace sunken garden

How to get to Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace is located within easy walking distance of the following Underground Stations:

• High Street Kensington Underground Station (Central Line) - about a 10 minute walk to the palace entrance through Kensington Gardens, entering the park via Black Lion Gate.

• Queensway Underground Station  (Circle & District Lines)  - 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! ;)

Like Palaces and Castles? Read some of our other blog posts on them

If palaces and castles interest you, we’ve got some other blog posts you may enjoy.

In England:

Visiting Buckingham Palace in 2024 covers what you need to know to plan your visit to London’s number one royal residence,, Buckingham Palace.

Visit the Royal Mews for a fun day in Central London 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.

In Spain:

Madrid: our 8 favorite things to do includes 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.

This post was researched and written by Debbie of the Empty Nest Explorers. You can learn more about the Empty Nest Explorers here.

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