Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace
Kensington Gardens
London
Greater London
W8 4PX
England

logo: Designated as an Outstanding Collection

Website

Official site for Historic Royal Palaces

www.hrp.org.uk

E-mail

General enquiries

kensingtonpalace@hrp.org.uk

Group visit enquiries

groupsandtraveltrade@hrp.org.uk

Corporate events enquiries

events@hrp.org.uk

Media enquiries

press@hrp.org.uk

Education

kensingtoneducation@hrp.org.uk

Telephone

Information line

0844 482 7777

Booking line

0844 482 7799

Membership

0844 482 7788

Events enquiries

0844 482 7795

All information is drawn or provided by the venues themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Kensington Palace's elegant South Front
baby changing facilities icon Food icon Shop icon Visual disability facilities icon Wheelchair access icon

The feminine influence of generations of royal women has shaped this stylish palace and elegant gardens.

Venue Type:

Historic house or home, Garden, parklands or rural site, Castle or defences, Museum, Gallery

 Opening hours

1 March - 31 October: 10.00-18.00, last admission 17.00.
1 November - 28 February: 10.00-17.00, last admission 16.00.

Kensington Palace is closed 24-26 December (inclusive).

 Admission charges

Adults: £12.30
Children under 16 years: £6.15
Under 5s: Free
Students (with ID) and Senior Citizens: £10.75
Family (up to 2 adults and 3 children): £34.00

JOIN US AND SAVE MONEY!
Become a Member of Historic Royal Palaces and you can make unlimited visits to our five palaces for free!
- £39 a year for one adult
- £59.50 a year for two adults
- £55 a year for a family of one adult and up to
six children (family with one adult)
- £75 a year for a family of two adults and up to
six children (family with two adults)

Join online at www.hrp.org.uk or call 0844 482 7788

Additional info

Pushchairs can be left at the security desk in the ticket hall and baby-changing facilities are available in the toilets next to the shop. A children's menu is available in the Orangery restaurant.

Disabled access to Kensington Palace is limited as the State Apartments are on the first floor and there is no lift. Wheelchair users should be advised that access to the State Apartments will require the visitor to walk up a shallow flight of 30 steps.

However, all areas of the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection are accessible by wheelchair, as is the Orangery restaurant, which has a wheelchair ramp.
There are disabled toilet facilities on the ground floor, next to the shop.

The sound guide scripts are available in written form for visitors with hearing difficulties.

Visitors with disabilities are admitted at a concessionary rate and an accompanying carer is given free entry. Please notify the admissions staff when purchasing your tickets.

There is limited disabled parking next to the Orangery. As space is restricted, it is advisable to book in advance. Please telephone +44 (0)20 7937 9561.

The Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection at Kensington Palace is a Designated Collection of national importance.

There are no other collections of court dress comparable to this one. The collection includes court dress fashions from the 18th and 20th centuries, as well as emphasising the role of the trades-people who made the costumes. The collection acts as an outward manifestation of the significance of royalty and governing institutions in Europe, gives insights into important events in the nation’s history, and helps to explain the complex hierarchy of courtly life.

Collection details

Social History, Fine Art, Decorative and Applied Art, Costume and Textiles

Key artists and exhibits

  • Designated Collection
Exhibition details are listed below, you may need to scroll down to see them all.

Fashion Rules: dress from the collections of HM The Queen, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales

4 July 2013 — 4 July 2014

This summer, Historic Royal Palaces will present a glamorous exhibition with a new take on the story of the monarchy in the late twentieth century. Featuring rare and exquisite dresses from HM Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret and Diana, Princess of Wales, this colourful and exuberant exhibition will provide a feast for the eyes and a nostalgic glance back at recent decades. Elegant dress displays will explore how these royal figures were representative of the spirit of each decade, reflecting and inspiring everyday fashions. Included as part of the normal Kensington Palace entrance ticket.

Suitable for

Admission

Free with admission

Events details are listed below. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all. For events that don't have a specific date see the 'Resources' tab above.

Be Dazzled: Norman Hartnell, Sixty Years of Glamour and Fashion

2 July 2013

Norman Hartnell (1901-1979) was a major fashion personality, world-famous for his glamorous evening clothes. He created the 1947 wedding gown of Princess Elizabeth and subsequently dressed the young Queen in the 1950s, including her iconic coronation dress. A number of dresses he created for the Queen and Princess Margaret will be displayed in our forthcoming ‘Fashion Rules’ exhibition. Author Michael Pick will discuss Hartnell’s career, focusing on his unique relationship with royalty. This event includes a drinks reception and entry to the palace. To book tickets for this event, please visit www.hrp.org.uk/adultlearning

Suitable for

When

6:30-7:30pm

Admission

£12/£10 HRP members

Midsummer Ball: Moonlight and Stars Bright

12 July 2013

A night of vintage glamour inspired by the star-studded parties of Kensington Palace’s past. Prepare yourselves for the event of the summer as Kensington Palace hosts its extravagant Midsummer Ball. Inspired by the golden ages of glamour, dress to impress for a night of live music and entertainment in a royal palace. Guests are invited to dance the night away to retro music in the stunning Orangery and to enjoy the intimate atmosphere of the palace at night. To book online, please visit www.hrp.org.uk.

Suitable for

Admission

£30

Dancing through the decades

13 — 14 July 2013

Dance through the decades at this free, fun event in the palace gardens. With storytelling, craft activities and beginners’ dance classes in styles from the ‘50s to the ‘80s, inspired by the Fashion Rules exhibition.

Suitable for

Admission

Free with admission

Fun Fridays

26 July — 30 August 2013

Explore the lives of some of the most famous Kensington Palace residents with fun activities for all ages based around our new exhibition on royal fashion.

Suitable for

  • Family friendly

Admission

Free with admission

Resources listed here may include websites, bookable tours and workshops, books, loan boxes and more. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all.
 Resources

A Level sessions

http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools

Leisure, travel and tourism
Historic Royal Palaces is embarking on its most ambitious project to date: the total transformation of the visitor experience at Kensington Palace. As part of this process, the education team is offering a unique insight into the redevelopment of a major heritage site.
Bespoke talks and tours can cover most modules in Leisure, Travel, Tourism and Business studies BTEC, GCSE, AS and A2. Call us to discuss your needs on 020 3166 6626.
A-level: British Empire
This session, which includes a workshop and subject-specific tour, draws on Kensington Palace's role as a centre for court life from 1689-1760 to discuss key factors in the early development of the British E

Creator

  • Jenny Wedgbury

How to obtain

To book a session, please go to www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools or alternatively phone our booking office on 020 3166 6646.

 Face to face resources

GCSE session - Media Through Time

http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools

From the vicious political satires of the 18th century, to the drama of Victoria's accession in the 19th, to the glamour of late 20th century royalty, Kensington Palace has always been in the media eye. In this session, specially developed for the new AQA unit, students will use Kensington Palace's rich history to take a chronological look at the mutually dependent relationship that has developed between the media and the monarchy.
The session covers key concepts of causation and the varying influence of different factors on developments through analysis of primary sources, discussion and debate.

Creator

  • Jenny Wedgbury

How to obtain

To book a session, please go to www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools or alternatively phone our booking office on 020 3166 6646.

KS1 session - My Perfect Palace

http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools

How do you build a palace for a king and 600 courtiers? By exploring the amazing State Apartments, students will find out. They'll also learn what life was like at court, and how to prepare for a royal audience! The session highlights features of homes across time, while also revealing what makes a palace special.
This session especially supports skills of historical interpretation and enquiry by comparing homes of the past to those of the present.

Creator

  • Jenny Wedgbury

How to obtain

To book a session, please go to www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools or alternatively phone our booking office on 020 3166 6646.

KS1 session - Really Royal Stories

http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools

Forget fairytales... come to Kensington Palace and find out how real kings, queens, princes and princesses lived. In this storytelling and drama session students will learn about royal life in this most perfect of palaces. The session explores the beautiful state apartments – a great place for students to practise the storytelling skills developed during the session!
This session especially supports skills of historical enquiry and English speaking and listening by exploring the historic environment through storytelling.

Creator

  • Jenny Wedgbury

How to obtain

To book a session, please go to www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools or alternatively phone our booking office on 020 3166 6646

KS1 session - Victoria's Toys

http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools

What was Queen Victoria's favourite toy? Through storytelling and drama, students will learn about the young Victoria's childhood, education and pastimes at Kensington Palace. Students will look at the Queen's original toys and handle replica items.
By comparing toys of today and those of the past, this session especially supports chronological understanding, historical enquiry and knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past.

Creator

  • Jenny Wedgbury

How to obtain

To book a session please go to www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools or alternatively phone our booking office on 020 3166 6646.

KS2 session - Rags and Riches: Victorian childhood in Kensington

http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools

This session compares the very different lives of two girls growing up in Kensington in the early 1830s. Young Princess Victoria spends her days in the luxury of the palace. Orphaned Annie Jarvis lives and works in the Kensington Workhouse. Using primary sources, students will investigate Victoria and Annie's daily routines. They'll also see the rooms where Victoria spent her childhood and try on replica costume.
By analysing differing lives of children in the Victorian age, this session especially supports skills of historical interpretation and enquiry.

Creator

  • Jenny Wedgbury

How to obtain

To book a session, please go to www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools or alternatively phone our booking office on 020 3166 6646.

KS2 session - Victoria and Albert Rule!

http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools

This session looks at one of the most famous royal couples of all time, Victoria and Albert. How did they meet? Did they really fall in love at first sight? Students become royal reporters, recording the romance, extravagant wedding and lives of this amazing couple. They’ll see the rooms where the two first met, and piece together the impact they had on British society.
This session especially supports skills of historical enquiry and organisation and communication as students complete their reports.

Creator

  • Jenny Wedgbury

How to obtain

To book a session, please go to www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools or alternatively phone our booking office on 020 3166 6646.

KS3 session - Making Britain Great!

http://www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools

In these Making Britain Great sessions, your students take on the role of members of parliament, and vote to influence the outcome of one of three key events that helped shape modern Britain. In each session students will examine the evidence, then use interactive voting technology to reconsider the historic decision. Will they side with precedent, or change the course of British history?
These sessions especially support the key concept of cause and consequence as students analyse the reasons for, and results of historical events, and the key processes of historical enquiry and using evidence, as they reflect critically on historical issues.
A Glorious Revolution?
It is 1688. James II is

Creator

  • Jenny Wedgbury

How to obtain

To book a session, please go to www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools or alternatively phone our booking office on 020 3166 6646.

 Paper-based and downloads

A Really Royal Palace: State Apartment Trail

http://www.hrp.org.uk/Resources/A%20really%20Royal%20PalaceJuly08.pdf

No wonder so many royals loved Kensington Palace: it's where they could do things that regal rulers really loved doing. Imagine you are a visitor to the palace with an appointment to see the King and follow our trail around the State Apartments.

How to obtain

Download this children's activity trail from our website.

Fashion rules!

http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/KensingtonPalaceActivitiesforfamilies.aspx

Discover the secrets of royal dress by imagining yourself as a member of the royal family 100 years ago.

 Digital and online resources

Brand new schools and colleges programme for September 2009

From drama to design, from fashion to politics, the new programme at Kensington Palace offers fresh and fascinating takes on history, citizenship and culture.
Come and find out how Victoria and Albert fell in love, how William III and Mary II seized the throne or practice your storytelling skills in our enchanting palace.
We have new sessions for KS1, KS2, KS3, GCSE and A Level students.
To find out more about the sessions on offer or to book please go to www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonschools

Creator

  • Jenny Wedgbury
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