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The Great Britain Guide

Palaces · London

Kensington Palace

Also known as: Pálás Kensington

Tudor & Stuart♿ Wheelchair: limited

Kensington Palace — royal residence set in Kensington Gardens, London, England, UK.

Kensington Palace, palaces in London

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
2 h–3 h
Nearest railway station
Queensway · 0.6 km
  • Family-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access

About

Kensington Palace is a palace in the United Kingdom — a residence built or used by royalty, the aristocracy, or a bishop. Records date its origin to 1605. Designed by Christopher Wren. Built in the baroque architecture style. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Owned by Earl of Nottingham. Address: W8 4PX. Wikidata describes it as: "royal residence set in Kensington Gardens, London, England, UK". Coordinates: 51.5053°, -0.1883°.

Photo gallery

Heritage listing

Kensington Palace is a royal residence situated within Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has served as a residence for the British royal family since the 17th century and is currently the official London residence of several royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and Princess Eugenie alongside her husband, Jack Brooksbank. The term "Kensington Palace" is often used as a metonym for the offices of the royals who reside there. Today, the State Rooms of Kensington Palace are open to the public and are managed by Historic Royal Palaces, an independent charity that operates without public funding.

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Kensington Palace is a royal residence situated within Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has served as a residence for the British royal family since the 17th century and is currently the official London residence of several royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and Princess Eugenie alongside her husband, Jack Brooksbank. The term "Kensington Palace" is often used as a metonym for the offices of the royals who reside there. Today, the State Rooms of Kensington Palace are open to the public and are managed by Historic Royal Palaces, an independent charity that operates without public funding. The palace's offices and private living quarters remain the responsibility of the Royal Household. Additionally, Kensington Palace showcases numerous paintings and other artifacts from the Royal Collection.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

Architecture

Kensington Palace contains public and private apartments and residences within the building and its grounds. The palace houses a total of fifty residents. Apart from members of the royal family, it also hosts members of the military, courtiers, staff, and citizens who pay market rent.

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
51.5053, -0.1883
Parish
Kensington and Chelsea, unparished area
Postcode
W8 4PX
Parliamentary constituency
Kensington and Bayswater
Established
1605
Nearest railway station
Queensway0.6 km
Official site
www.hrp.org.uk

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Kensington Palace?
Kensington Palace is in London, United Kingdom (postcode W8 4PX), in the parish of Kensington and Chelsea, unparished area.
When was Kensington Palace built?
Built or established in 1605. Designed by Christopher Wren.
Who owns Kensington Palace?
Kensington Palace is owned by Earl of Nottingham.
Is Kensington Palace a listed building?
Kensington Palace is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
Does Kensington Palace charge admission?
Kensington Palace typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
How do I get to Kensington Palace?
The nearest railway station is Queensway, about 0.6 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode W8 4PX.