should i visit kensington palace

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London , London Travel Tips & Inspiration · June 10, 2024

Your Ultimate Guide + Tips For Visiting Kensington Palace in 2025 (from a local)

Looking to visit Kensington Palace? Here’s my top Kensington Palace tips including everything you need to know about visiting the royal abode — from a local Londoner and London travel blogger (in other words, you’re in good hands) enjoy!

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Perched on the edge of Hyde Park, Kensington Palace is London’s 2nd most royal residence (right behind Buckingham Palace) and the home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — Prince William and Cate Middleton, at least before they moved to Windsor .

Its history spans back over 300 years as everything from a home to Queen Victoria and Princess Diana to more current affairs such as the announcement grounds for Prince Harry and Meghan’s engagement.

Visiting Kensington Palace and feeling like you’ve stepped into royal life is an experience like no one, but you’ll want to be prepared.

In this post I’ll be sharing a quick history of Kensington Palace , how to get to Kensington Palace , the best Kensington Palace tickets, passes and tours , Kensington Palace opening times and the best time to go to Kensington Palace , what to do and see in Kensington Palace , how much time to spend at Kensington Palace and the best practical tips for visiting Kensington Palace along with a Kensington Palace map to help you navigate your day with ease — enjoy!

Your Ultimate Guide + Tips For Visiting Kensington Palace (from a local)

P.S. – Coming to London? Have the perfect trip planned for you with our 3,5, or 7-Day London Tourist Itineraries 🇬🇧

A Quick History: Kensington Palace

Before its royal days Kensington was a beautiful mansion home to Sir Daniel Finch, the Secretary of State at the time.

When William III and Mary II assumed the monarch in 1689, they found their Whitehall Palace abode near the Thames to be too agitating to their son’s asthmatic conditions. This started a hunt for a new home and the eventual purchase of Kensington Palace for £20,000 from Daniel Finch.

Since then it has served as a royal residence for ‘minor royals’ for nearly 300 years, with the most notable residents including:

• The childhood home of Queen Victoria and where she met Prince Albert
• The home of William III and Mary II
• The home of Queen Anne and Anne’s son William
• The previous home of Princess Diana and Prince Charles
• The home of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William and Cate Middleton) and their children Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte up until their Windsor move in 2022
• The announcement place of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s engagement (Prince Harry and Megan Markle)

Other royal residents also call Kensington Palace home (easy to do with 547 rooms) including The Duke and Duchess of Kent, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

P.S – As you can imagine, the royals like their privacy — so don’t expect to see them popping about during your visit!

Is Kensington Palace Worth Visiting?

Before you decide to spend your day roaming Kensington Palace you may be wondering ‘is Kensington Palace worth visiting?’.

Personally speaking, yes. If you’re interested in British history, royalty, or even just exploring London, it’s worth visiting. Especially if you already have the Go City Explorer Pass or The London Pass — Kensington Palace is included on both!

Pro-tip: Although I highly suggest seeing inside the palace, if you would like to experience Kensington Palace for free, you can still visit Kensington Gardens or enjoy views of the palace from outside while you’re exploring Hyde Park

Getting to Kensington Palace

Getting to Kensington Palace is relatively easy as there are lots of transport links. Before you go, I highly suggest downloading Citymapper to help plan your journey.

By Underground: The closest tube station to Kensington Palace is High Street Kensington station which is 10-minute walk from Kensington Palace on the District & Circle Lines and a 10-minute walk from Queensway station on the Circle Line. It’s also about a 20-25 minute walk from both Notting Hill station and Paddington station.

By Bus: Bus 9,49,52,70 and 452 will drop you off on Kensington High Street, about a 10-minute walk from the palace. Bus 94, 148, and 274 will drop you off on Bayswater Road, about a 10-15 minute walk from Kensington Palace.

By River Cruise: If you’re already in the middle of sightseeing pre-Kensington Palace, you can take an Uber Boat from Central London to Battersea Power Station Pier station to do some river sightseeing along the way. Once you get off, go to Stop CJ and take bus 452 towards Ladbroke Grove, it’s 15-minute bus ride to Kensington Palace.

By Train: The closest train station to Kensington Palace is Paddington Station — which serves the Paddington Heathrow Express, TFL Rail Heathrow and the National Rail , followed by a 20-25 minute walk to the palace.

Walking: If you’re exploring Central/West London neighbourhoods such as Knightsbridge , South Kensington, Kensington , Notting Hill , Chelsea, Paddington or Holland Park you’ll most likely be under an hour’s walk from Kensington Palace. This is a great way to see more London sites before your visit, so be sure to check Citymapper to see if you can simply walk over!

Already in Hyde Park?: Kensington Palace sits right on the edge of Hyde Park so if you’re already in the park itself — you’re in luck! Keep in mind Hyde Park is massive ( here’s a map ) so depending where you are in the park it could take up to a 45-minute walk within the park to get to Kensington Palace itself.

P.S – If you’re driving, there’s no parking at Kensington Palace currently so they will need to drop you off at Kensington High Street.

Do I Need Tickets to Visit Kensington Palace?

Although you can visit the Kensington Gardens and surrounding Hyde Park for free, you need a ticket to go tour inside Kensington Palace (and really have the full experience).

You can get the tickets at the door or in advance, but tickets tend to be cheaper if you book online.

Best Kensington Palace Tours :

Kensington Palace Sightseeing Entrance Ticket – The Kensington Palace Sightseeing Entrance Ticket will give you general access to explore Kensington Palace including Victoria: A Royal Child display, The Jewel Room, The King’s State Apartments, Staircase and Gallery, The Queen’s State Apartments and any current exhibitions taking place in the palace (and Kensington Gardens, open to the public). Click to book .

Kensington Palace Gardens Tour with Royal High Tea – The Kensington Palace Gardens Tour with Royal High Tea will give you access to all of above — with the benefit of a private guide and a deeper dive into the history of the palace and the royal family, including a royal high tea of sandwiches, cakes, scones and tea and coffee. Click to book.

Westminster Walking Tour and Kensington Palace Visit – The Westminster Walking Tour and Kensington Palace Visit will combine a royal stroll along London’s top 30 attractions, ending with a visit to Kensington Palace. Click to book.

The London Pass – The London Pass gives you access to over 80+ attractions (including Kensington Palace) over a set amount of consecutive days. This will give you the equivalent of a general entry ticket to Kensington Palace when you visit.

Go City Explorer Pass – The Go City Explorer Pass gives you access to 70+ attractions (including Kensington Palace), based on the amount of attractions you’d like to visit across London. This also will give you the equivalent of a general entry ticket to Kensington Palace when you visit.

P.S – Check out the difference between The London Pass and the Go City Explorer Pass to choose which one’s right for you!

Kensington Palace Opening Hours & The Best Time To Go To Kensington Palace

Summer hours in Kensington Palace (from March 2nd – October 30th) are Wednesday to Sunday 10:00 – 6:00pm with last admission at 5pm .

Winter hours in Kensington Palace (from October 31st to March 1st) are Wednesday to Sunday 10:00 – 4:00pm with last admission at 3pm .

The Sunken Garden, which includes the statue of Princess Diana is only open during opening hours in both the Summer and Winter period.

You may also be wondering, ‘when is the best time to go to Kensington Palace?’.

Between October to February crowds are reasonable at most hours , so although getting there early would be best, you won’t have too many long queues either way.

But if you’re visiting in summer, it’s a whole other story.

Between the hoard of school groups, eager tourists, royal enthusiasts and summer park goers, Kensington Palace is sure to be crowded. To avoid the queues I suggest going 20-minutes before opening time on a weekday or close to an hour before closing during a weekday .

Read More: The Best Things to do in Kensington, London

Kensington palace highlights: what to do in kensington palace, the king’s state apartments & the king’s staircase:.

The King’s Gallery & The King’s Staircase are a great way to feel like you’ve stepped into Georgian times.

This is where the King would host events and the court in his time and is an instant way to get the royal experience at Kensington Palace.

The Queen’s State Apartment:

After William II and Mary II came to the thrown, they bought Kensington Palace to be their ‘home away from home’.

Thus the Queen’s State Apartment was where Mary II would rest, relax, and of course, entertain.

P.S – My favourites here are The Queen’s Staircase and The Queen’s Gallery

Victoria: A Royal Childhood:

Before she came Queen Victoria, she was Princess Victoria — born and raised in Kensington Palace.

Fair warning, Victoria’s childhood wasn’t exactly pleasant, but the exhibition but does an excellent walk through into what life was really like being raised as a royal during that time.

The Jewel Room:

The Jewel Room features treasured gems from both Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, from dazzling tiaras to earrings and brooches.

All encapsulating the 19th century craftsmanship of the time.

Life Through a Royal Lens:

Life Through a Royal Lens is a rare chance to see an unpolished version of the royals in their most intimate moments.

From never-before-seen pictures of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip to family photo albums, it’s all here.

Visit the Sunken Garden:

The Sunken Garden was one of Princess Diana’s favourite parts of Kensington Palace, now serving as an ode to her memory.

Although you can’t go directly to her statue (commissioned by Prince Harry and Prince William to honour her service), I suggest getting as close as you can and taking in all the peace and serenity of the area.

Have Afternoon Tea at The Kensington Palace Pavilion and Tea Room:

One thing I regret not doing while at Kensington Palace was indulging in their delicious Afternoon Tea.

Taking place in the Kensington Palace Pavilion and Tea Room it’s the perfect way to end a day of royal exploring, with the backdrop of Kensington Palace of course.

Pro-tip: Use the latest Kensington Palace map from the Historic Royal Palaces to navigate your visit!

How Much Time To Spend at Kensington Palace?

To experience all of the main displays and exhibitions at Kensington Palace as well as Kensington Gardens, I suggest spending a minimum of 1½ to 3 hours.

This will give you time to see to The King’s State Apartment, Gallery & Staircase, The Queen’s State Apartment, Victoria: A Royal Childhood, Life Through a Royal Lens, The Jewel Room, exhibitions, visit Sunken Gardens and have an Afternoon Tea.

You’ll also be surrounded by the rest of Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, so if you wanted to pop into the shops on Kensington High Street and have a picnic after/before or after your visit — you could easily spend the day here!

Practical Tips Fireround: Kensington Palace

Bathrooms at Kensington Palace:

There are 3 bathrooms on-site at the Stone Hall, the café or the Pigott Galleries at Life Through A Royal Lens.

Photography at Kensington Palace:

You can take photos inside Kensington Palace, without flash, but videography is not permitted (even on your phone!). There are also a few items that can’t be photographed in the palace due to loan arrangements.

Food & Drink at Kensington Palace:

If all that Kensington Palace exploring has left you hungry (or thirsty) you can visit either The Café or The Pavilion. The Café is best for a quick hot drink or refreshment, sandwiches, cakes and ice cream.

But if you’re looking for more The Pavilion offers a full Breakfast, Lunch and Afternoon Tea menu.

Wifi at Kensington Palace:

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout Kensington Palace.

Accessibility at Kensington Palace:

If you need to bring a carer to Kensington Palace, you’re entitled to a free carer ticket which you can redeem at the visitor check-in. Describer and BSL interpretation tours are also available for the King’s State Apartments and Victoria: A Royal Childhood, but they must be booked in advance. Find more information .

Things to do Near Kensington Palace:

If you’re near Kensington Palace — definitely take the opportunity to explore the rest of Hyde Park, Kensington & South Kensington, and Harrods in Knightsbridge. You can also do my Knightsbridge to Kensington High Street Walk which ends at Kensington Palace.

Happy Londoning,

Read More on Kensington:

• The Best Things to do in Kensington, London
• Where to Brunch in Kensington: 10 Best Breakfast Spots
• A Royal Stay: 5 Stunning Hotels in Kensington, London
• Hotel Review: A Stay at the Resident Kensington
• The Best Kensington Hostels in London (from a Londoner)
• Knightsbridge to Kensington High Street Walk: London Walk Series (Episode #3)

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Visiting Kensington Palace – Tickets, Tours & FAQs

By: Author Tracy Collins

Posted on Last updated: June 16, 2024

• Everything you need to know to plan and book your visit to Kensington Palace

Visiting Kensington Palace – Tickets & Tours

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Nearest Tube station – High Street Kensington (Circle and District lines) or Queensway (Central line)

How long to set aside for your visit?

It will take about two hours or more to explore the palace and its glorious gardens.

Tickets 

• Kensington Palace ticket

Good to know – Kensington Palace entry is included with The London Pass and the Go City  London Explorer Pass  

Combi tours 

Do note that some tours may not include entry to Kensington Palace, but only the gardens

• Kensington Palace gardens tour with Royal afternoon tea
• Three London Palaces walking tour plus Royal high tea

• Westminster walking tour with visit to Kensington Palace
• Evening London bike tour including Kensington Palace
• Private London walking tour with Kensington Palace

Visiting Kensington Palace

• Princess Diana lived at Kensington Palace. Princes William and Harry also spent some of their early years here. After their mother’s sudden death in 1997, the grounds outside the grand building were carpeted in floral tributes from members of the public. 
• Queen Victoria grew up at Kensington Palace. She also first met Prince Albert there. The V&A (Victoria and Albert) Museum in nearby South Kensington is named after the lovestruck Royal couple. Victoria lived there until she became Queen. 
• The so-called Kensington System was a stringent and detailed set of rules laid out by Victoria, Duchess of Kent and the mother of Queen Victoria. The system was meant to increase the young royal’s dependency on her mother, but in fact made her more strong-willed and independent than ever. 
• The late Princess Margaret, the sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the Countess of Snowdon, was one of the true socialites of Kensington Palace. She held lots of parties there during the 1960s, which were attended by the likes of the Beatles, actor Peter Sellers, ballet dancers Margot Fonteyn and ​​Rudolph Nureyev, actresses Britt Ekland and Elizabeth Taylor and even comedian Spike Milligan.
• King William III first bought Kensington Palace for health reasons. His fragile disposition reacted badly to the fog, dampness and smoke of central London, so he bought the building, which was then located in a village outside the capital. Ironically he died of pneumonia at the palace. It was formerly known simply as Nottingham House. 
• A book of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci was discovered at the palace in 1770. This was over 180 years after the Mona Lisa artist died. Drawings by Henry VIII’s court painter were also discovered during the 1700s – two centuries later. 
• The palace was used for practical purposes during both World Wars. In World War I, it was used for clerical reasons and the staff concerned had to adhere to rationing. When World War II was going on, Kensington Palace Gardens were used for military defence, but were also hit by a bomb which damaged parts of the palace, including the State Apartments. 
• Did you know that one of the Peter Pan books was set in Kensington Gardens? Author J. M. Barrie penned Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens as he lived locally. Various parts of the gardens feature in the fictional tale about the boy who never wanted to grow up. The Peter Pan statue in the gardens dates from 1912, only a few years after the book’s publication. 
• Despite her unhappy childhood spent at the palace, Queen Victoria saved the iconic palace during the final years of her life. Due to neglect, there was talk of the palace being razed to the ground in around 1897, but the Queen managed to turn its fortunes around. By 1899, the restored State Rooms at the palace were open to the public. 
• You can hire parts of the palace for a Royal (style) wedding or another event. Spaces such as the King’s Drawing Room, the Cupola, the Queen’s Gallery, the Privy Chamber and the King’s Gallery can be rented out.  

Kensington Palace Opening Times

Kensington Palace is open between Wednesday and Sunday, apart from planned closures such as exhibition preparation, restoration work or Royal events like the coronation of King Charles III. 

The palace opens between 10 am and 6 pm, with the last entry an hour earlier. It’s closed to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays. 

The gardens are open to the public from 6 am daily. Closing times vary throughout the year. They range between 4.15 pm during most of December to 9.45 pm between early June and mid-July. 

The times reflect the hours of darkness in London. This is why they are seasonal. The UK’s shortest day is in mid to late December, and the longest in mid to late June. Entry to the gardens alone is free. 

Check opening times for the dates of your visit here. 

• Kensington Palace is open from Wednesday to Sunday and is closed on Monday and Tuesday. 
• If you can, visit on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday rather than on Saturday or Sunday. This is because weekends are busier. 
• The summer season is also a busy time for the palace. The UK school holidays run from mid-July to the start of September, so you can expect the palace to be busy during this period.
• For a more peaceful experience, get there before the palace opens for the day. Alternatively, visit in the afternoon, around two hours before closing time. 
• If you want to visit Kensington Palace Gardens only, or separately, you can do this between 6 am and nightfall. Closing times for the gardens vary according to the season and sunset times, though they are always open to pedestrians at 6 am. Entry to the gardens is free. 

There is plenty to see at Kensington Palace, plus you also have the gardens to explore. Inside, the King’s State Apartments, the Queen’s State Apartments, the King’s Staircase, the Jewel Room and the King’s Gallery are among the main attractions. 

Kensington Palace also hosts a regular programme of events. At the time of writing, for example, events included a Crown to Couture exhibition about historic and contemporary costumes. Victoria: A Royal Childhood also told the tale of the famous Queen’s formative years. 

Kensington Gardens is also a major attraction in its own right. Some of the highlights of this outside space include the Sunken Garden, the wildflower meadow in spring and summer, the shady Cradle Walk (aka Nanny Walk) and the Formal Gardens. 

• The Serpentine Galleries (in Kensington Gardens)
• The V&A (Victoria and Albert) Museum
• The Natural History Museum
• The Science Museum
• The Design Museum
• The Leighton House Museum
• The Royal Albert Hall
• Kensington High Street
• The Churchill Arms 
• Holland Park
• Knightsbridge – Harrods!
• Notting Hill

• If you can, buy tickets for Kensington Palace in advance. This means you can avoid queueing up to get in. It’s often busy here, especially in summer and at weekends. 
• The palace is closed for two days each week, on Mondays and Tuesdays. Part or all of it can also close for restoration work, the setting up of exhibitions and Royal events. 
• Though you’ll have to pay to tour the palace, entry to the gardens is free. They open daily at 6 am and close at around sunset. You can see the palace from the outside here. 
• Book an afternoon tea at the palace if you have time. It’s a splendid setting for such a quintessential British tradition. You can book this alongside your ticket via the links given at the top of this guide. 
• You can experience afternoon tea at the Kensington Palace Pavilion but if you prefer you can also find plenty of places to pick up food and drinks or eat at on Kensington High Street. 
• Do allow time for the gardens. They’re one of the highlights of the palace experience. They are free to enter, though, so returning on another day may be an option you could consider. 
• If you’re a fan of the late Princess Diana – the first wife of King Charles III – then don’t miss the Sunken Garden. This is said to have been one of her favourite spots of all. 
• It’s worth thinking about which London museums you want to visit before planning your day at the palace. Several prominent museums – including the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A are also in the Kensington area. This can save on travel time and costs. Entry is free to all three, though it’s worth checking whether online booking is required.
• Take the tube to the palace. High Street Kensington is a good one to go for, as it’s on both the Circle and District lines. You can also find lots of shops, cafes and so on right by the station. If you have access to the Central line, though, Queensway could be more convenient. 
• Try to plan your visit for a sunny day, if possible. This is tricky in a country with an often-wet climate, but exploring Kensington Gardens is far more pleasant when the sun is shining!
• The Tower of London
• Westminster Abbey
• The London Eye
• Windsor Castle
• Hampton Court Palace
• St Paul’s Cathedral

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