It’s a year for the new princess, Kate, and my feeling is she’ll be quite different to her famous predecessor, Diana. But Kate has reinvigorated the dreams of many a girl that one day she might become a Princess. Kensington Palace, sitting in Kensington Gardens adjacent to Hyde Park, has been a royal residence since the 17th century and these days it’s all about that dream with its ongoing exhibition Enchanted Palace located within the State Apartments. Combining fashion, performance and installation the exhibition evokes the lives of seven past princesses who lived in the palace in a unique and quite magical way.
Kensington Palace - Image Courtesy of Daithaic
It’s definitely not your usual trek through historical displays – there are fairytale princess dresses designed by Vivienne Westwood and Zandra Rhodes as well as dresses from the Royal Ceremonial Collection, including some of Diana’s outfits. If fashion’s not your thing, then head to The King’s gallery and see paintings from the Royal Collection, or to the King’s staircase with its wall paintings depicting the court of George I, or to Queen Victoria’s bedroom where she woke one morning to discover that her uncle had died and she was now the Queen. The gardens are also lovely, with the 18th century Orangery Restaurant one of London’s best places for a traditional afternoon tea. The allure of Diana never goes away and Kensington Palace was her final home making it a bit of a must visit when in London. These days the palace is officially home to the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and unofficially home to Prince Harry. There is still one prince yet to find his bride…
Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s London tours & things to do, especially Skip the Line: Kensington Palace Tickets and Horse Riding in Hyde Park.
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