What is Kensington Palace?
Kensington Palace is a royal residence in Kensington Gardens, London. It was the childhood home of Queen Victoria and later the home of Princess Diana, and today it is the official London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The palace began as a private house and was bought by King William III and Queen Mary II in 1689. Sir Christopher Wren redesigned it, and it became a favorite residence of monarchs until the reign of George II.
Queen Victoria was born at Kensington Palace in 1819 and lived there until she became queen in 1837.
Royal residents and visitors
Princess Diana lived at Kensington Palace from 1981 until her death in 1997. After she died, the gates were covered with flowers left by mourners from around the world.
Parts of the palace, including the State Apartments and exhibitions about royal history and fashion, are open to the public. They are managed by Historic Royal Palaces.
A statue of Diana was unveiled in the Sunken Garden in 2021 by her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. The palace grounds include formal gardens and the Orangery, built for Queen Anne. Kensington Gardens is next to Hyde Park.