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Paris Toolkit Kensington Palace, London
Kensington Palace's history
Kensington Palace has a rich royal history. It can boast of being the birth place of Queen Victoria and the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, not to mention being the home of a host of Georgian monarchs who have all left their mark on this impressive Palace.
You can explore their vast state apartments which contain an array of beautiful paintings and sculptures.
Kensington Palace is located at the western end of Kensington Gardens which extends seamlessly from Hyde Park, London's largest royal park.
In recent times the late Princess Diana is often associated with Kensington Palace, and around Kensington Palace there are reminders of her life from the official memorial to her, a children's playground, she even has a local cafe that she used to frequent with her children dedicated to her memory.
Why not make it an extra special London day out and combine your Kensington Palace tickets with Fish and Chips meal from Poppie's Restaurant?
KENSINGTON PALACE TICKETS
Visit the former home of Queen Victoria and Princess Diana, official London home of HRH William and HRH Kate
• Admission to Kensington Palace and Gardens • King's and Queen's State Apartments • Paintings from the Royal Collection • Sunken garden • The King’s Drawing Room, the Cupola Room and Queen Caroline’s Closet • Changing exhibitions
KENSINGTON PALACE AND FISH & CHIPS MEAL
Kensington Palace tickets & Fish & Chips meal
• Admission to Kensington Palace and Gardens • King's and Queen's State Apartments • Paintings from the Royal Collection • Fish & Chips Meal from Poppie's Restaurant
Kensington Palace - what will I see?
Once inside, you explore the extravagant rooms and spaces that have figured in many royal dramas through the ages. Wander through the King’s and Queen’s State Apartments, where you’ll see rare works from the Royal Collection.
The Queen's apartments were where Mary, and later royal consorts, lived. This is where they had their bedroom, took their meals, entertained their friends and distinguished guests, and relaxed.
The King’s apartments looks at more formal aspects of royal life where the monarch received courtiers, ministers and foreign ambassadors.
At the Jewel Room you can see an incredible suite of jewellery, including specially commissioned gems for Queen Victoria, such as her beautiful tiara.
Kensington Palace Gardens
Finish your Kensington Palace tour by heading outside to walk through the exquisite and popular Kensington Palace Gardens. Here you can visit the Sunken Garden, where you can see the statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, commissioned by her sons and unveiled in 2021, for what would have been her 60th birthday. (Specific opening times apply.)
Crown to Couture exhibition until 29th October 2023
Featuring over 200 items from ball gowns to court suits and handbags to jewellery, this brand-new fashion exhibition for 2023 draws fascinating parallels between the world of today’s red carpet and the Georgian Royal Court in the 18th century.
Kensington Palace - opening times and location
We recommend allowing around 2 hours to visit.
Kensington Palace opening times
Kensington Palace is is open 7 days a week all year round, except 24 - 26 December.
Doors open at 10am and closing time is 6pm with last entry 1 hour prior. In the winter months, November to February closing time is 4pm.
Location of Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace Palace is situated within Kensington Gardens a royal park that is seamlessly joined to Hyde Park. There is lots to do and see within Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens and especially at weekends there are large events from concerts to fun runs.
Within easy walking distance is Portobello Market, the Royal Albert Hall, Harrods Department Store and the South Kensington Museums (Science Museum, National History Museum and V&A Museum).
Nearest Underground station
Queensway Underground Station (Central Line) is opposite a main entrance to Kensington Gardens. It's a 5-10 minute walk past the Princess Diana Children's Playground to the palace itself.
Hop-on, hop-off buses
All of London's hop on, hop off sightseeing buses have a stop for Kensington Palace on the south side of Kensington Gardens. Big Bus also have a stop on the north side of Kensington Gardens at Bayswater very close to Queensway Underground Station.
Worth knowing
We have a self-guided Kensington walk that visits Kensington Palace, as well as Portobello Market, South Kensington Museums and much more.
Kensington Palace tickets
Tickets are priced for adults age 18 - 64 years. Concessions are available for children, full-time students, seniors and people with a disability.
Tickets must be booked in advance to guarantee entry and avoid disappointment. Visitor numbers are limited and many dates and timeslots are sold out in advance.
Third party sellers
Tickets from third party sellers (banner link below) typically match the price of tickets from the Kensington Palace official website, (link above).
Queues at Kensington Palace
Entrance queues at Kensington Palace are not really an issue, as the pre-booking system which requires you to book in advance runs smoothly.
Group ticket savings for 15 or more people
Groups of 15 people or more can save on ticket prices. Online group tickets are valid only for the date selected and cannot be refunded or exchanged.
Passes and promotions
London Pass holders must pre-book tickets in advance through the London Pass website.
Save more on Kensington Palace tickets with a pass or promotion
KENSINGTON PALACE TICKETS
Visit the former home of Queen Victoria and Princess Diana, official London home of HRH William and HRH Kate
• Admission to Kensington Palace and Gardens • King's and Queen's State Apartments • Paintings from the Royal Collection • Sunken garden • The King’s Drawing Room, the Cupola Room and Queen Caroline’s Closet • Changing exhibitions
Kensington Palace & London's attraction passes and promotions
Railways 2 for 1 Promotion - The railways 2 for 1 entrance promotion is valid at Kensington Palace, and you need to pre-book your tickets in advance online.
The London Pass - Kensington Palace is supported by London's most popular attraction pass, (with over 80 top London attractions). Top attractions on the London Pass list include the London Zoo, Westminster Abbey, St, Paul's, View from the Shard and the Tower of London. The London Pass offers incredible savings over buying individual attraction tickets.
For full details follow the banner link below.
SAVE MONEY ON LONDON SIGHTSEEING WITH THE LONDON PASS
The more you visit, the more you save
• Access 90+ London attractions including the Tower of London, London Zoo, Thames River Cruise, Tower Bridge, St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, The View from Shard, Windsor Castle, a hop-on, hop-off bus tour, and many more...
• 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10 day passes available.
Other royal palaces in and around London
Tower of London: Founded by William the Conqueror in 1066-7 and enlarged and modified by successive sovereigns, today the Tower of London is one of the world's most famous and spectacular fortresses. In its time it has been a royal palace, a fortress, a prison, an armory, a treasury and an astronomical observatory. The Tower of London now displays the Crown Jewels.
Windsor Castle: Windsor Castle is one of three official residences of The Queen and has been home to the Sovereign for over 900 years. The Queen would call Windsor Castle her home.
The Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world and the oldest in continuous occupation. The imposing towers and battlements of the Castle loom large from every approach to the town, creating one of the world's most spectacular skylines.
Buckingham Palace: has served as the official London residence of Britain's sovereigns since 1837. Today it is the administrative headquarters of the Crown and is the main venue for the Changing of the Guard ceremony.
Hampton Court Palace: Henry VIII's place, and also a top day out for adults and kids alike. Don't forget the fabulous maze, as well as demonstrations, talks, etc. Proper 'Living History.'
POPULAR LONDON ATTRACTIONS - ADVANCE PURCHASE AND/OR FAST TRACK TICKETS
| London Eye | Amazing panoramic flight on the world's highest observation wheel. » Fast track tickets available. |
| The Shard | Tallest building in Western Europe with viewing of London from the top. » Fast track tickets available. |
| St Paul's Cathedral | Cathedral of the Diocese of London, venue for royal weddings. » Pre-book to guarantee entry. |
| Westminster Abbey | Along with St Paul's, England's main religious building.» Pre-book to guarantee entry. |
| Tower of London | Home of the Crown Jewels and a rich thousand year history. » Fast track tickets available. |
| Madame Tussauds | See wax statues of the most famous people in the world. » Fast track tickets available. |
| London Dungeon | The creepiest attraction in town, the London Dungeon. » Fast track tickets available. |
| Hampton Court Palace | Henry VIII Medieval Palace set in vast grounds. » Pre-book to save money. |
| The London Zoo | World class zoo in the centre of London. » Flexi tickets available. |
