Kensington Palace and Original London Sightseeing Tour

The birthplace of Queen Victoria, Kensington Palace was also home to Princess Diana between 1981-1997. Originally a private country house, it was adapted substantially by William III and Mary II (1689) who chose to spend winters there to escape the damp of Whitehall. Over the next 70 years it was to become the focal point of the life and government of the country. George I and George II spent vast sums of money on ornate and lavish furnishings to adorn Kensington House (as it was then known), including elaborate ceiling decorations by William Kent. The sudden death of George II in 1760 marked the end of an era. Kensington Palace was never again to serve a reigning monarch.

Early one morning in June 1837 Princess Victoria, who was occupying apartments in Kensington Palace, awoke to the news that she was Queen of England. She immediately moved to Buckingham Palace.

Kensington Palace first opened to the public in 1912 with a display of relics and objects relating to the City of London. It attracted 13,000 visitors in just one day! The museum pieces now form part of the collection at the Museum of London.

Visitors today can see the State Apartments, the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection that includes outfits from the eighteenth-century to the present day, the Orangery and sunken gardens.