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Kensington Palace
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- Name:
- Kensington Palace
- Continent:
- EUROPE
- Alt Name:
- -
- Country:
- United Kingdom
- Period:
- -
- Sub-Region:
- -
- Date:
- 1800AD - 1899AD
- City/Town:
- London
- Figure:
- Queen Victoria
- Resorts:
- London, Watford, Epsom,
- Related:
- Banqueting House, Kew Palace,
The Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace,
about Kensington Palace
Originally built for the Earl of Nottingham, Kensington Palace was acquired by King William III in 1689, after he and his wife, Mary II, had taken the throne from her father, James II. They employed Christopher Wren to rebuild and improve it.
Other monarchs enjoyed the atmosphere at Kensington Palace. These included Queen Anne, Mary’s sister, and her husband Prince George of Denmark. Her successor to the British throne, George I, had new state rooms built, and Queen Caroline, wife of George II, had the gardens laid out.
In the time of George III, Kensington Palace ceased to be the monarch’s residence, and it housed some of the more minor Royals. It was here that the Duke and Duchess of Kent (he was the son of George III) made their home and in 1819, their daughter, Victoria was born. She spent her childhood there, and in was at Kensington Palace that she was told that, on the death of her uncle, William IV, she had ascended the throne. Visitors to Kensington Palace can see Queen Victoria's bedroom, the location where she was informed of this.
Kensington Palace was still used as a residence for some of the more minor royals during their stays in London. Prince Albert (later Edward VII) famously dubbed it the ’Aunt Heap’ and, somewhat more cruelly, it was also called the Dowagers’ Dumping Ground.
Most recently, Kensington Palace has been the home of the late Princess Margaret, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince and Princess of Kent, and the late Princess Diana.
Just as empires rise and fall so do entry fees and opening hours! While we work as hard as we can to ensure the information provided here about Kensington Palace is as accurate as possible, the changing nature of certain elements mean we can't absolutely guarantee that these details won't become a thing of the past. If you know of any information on this page that needs updating you can add a comment above or now.
contact details
Address: Kensington Palace Kensington Gardens London W8 4PX
Phone: +44 (0)20 3166 6000
useful information
Directions:
Kensington Palace is located between Bayswater Road and Kensington High Street (walking distance from both). The nearest underground station is Queensway (Central Line) which is a 5 min. walk. High Street Kensington station (Circle and District Lines) is a 10 min. walk and Notting Hill Gate (Central Line) is a 15 minute walk. Buses 70, 94, 148 and 390 stop on Bayswater Road and buses 9, 10, 49, 52, 70, and 452 stop on Kensington High Street.
Ticket Information:
Kensington Palace is open daily, 10am-5pm (to 6pm March-October).Last entry is 1 hour before closing. Closed 24-26 December. Entry costs £12.50 for adults, £11 for students and visitors over 60 (valid ID) and £6.25 for children (5-16). Under 5’s enter free. Group/family rates available and there is a discount for booking online.
Local Amenities:
Kensington Palace is very centrally located and there are numerous cafes/shops nearby. Parking is very restricted.
Links:
http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace
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