Kensington Palace: Not and ordinary home.
Kensington Palace in London is more than a home; it is a working Royal residence. Kensington Palace has a tremendous amount of historical significance as it was the favorite residence of Kings and Queens up to the mid 1700’s. Queen Victoria was born and raised in Kensington.
The Royal Family holds private apartments there currently. The Palace is managed by Historic Royal Palaces and is furnished with items from the Royal Collection which makes this destination a much sought after highlight to visit.
William and Mary acquired Kensington Palace in 1689 and made it their primary residence. The palace itself is located at the western end of Kensington Gardens and stands proudly as the most magnificent building in the borough.
Queen Anne became the primary resident after the death of William III’s in 1702. Christopher Wren designed the Orangery for her and a 30-acre garden was designed by Henry Wise. The ceilings and staircases are adorned with some of the most magnificent examples of trompe l’oeil in Europe, which were painted by William Kent. George II was the last monarch to live at Kensington Palace, whose consort, Caroline of Ansbach, instituted the construction of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.
While residing in Kensington in 1837, Princess Victoria awoke to the news that she had become Queen of England. This instituted an immediate move to Buckingham Palace. In 1912 Kensington Palace opened to the public. Opening day brought in an astonishing 13,000 visitors. The Kensington Museum’s are now a part of the collection at the Museum of London. Visitors are able to view the State Apartments, the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, the Orangey and sunken gardens.
The palace was the home of the late Diana, Princess of Wales and is still home to several other members of the Royal Family. Some of the major highlights for visitors are the State Apartments and the Court Dress Collection which contains outfits that date back to the early 1700’s including a rare Mantua, and a magnificent collection of paintings. The Orangey Cafe adjacent to the Palace serves light lunches and snacks throughout the year.
Once you have checked into your London accommodation make sure to take a visit to Kensington Palace and take a stroll through the most beautiful gardens on earth.
