Kensington Palace
Palace Historic royal residence and museum in London
Kensington Palace, on the edge of Kensington Gardens, contains state rooms and exhibitions about British royals. Tourists visit restored apartments, displays about royal fashion and walk the palace grounds and adjacent gardens.
Kensington Palace is a royal residence and public historic site in Kensington Gardens, London, long associated with members of the British royal family. The palace contains formal State Rooms opened as museum spaces alongside private apartments still used by current royals.
Visitors commonly tour the State Apartments, view portraits and period furnishings, and visit temporary exhibitions about past occupants such as Victoria and Diana. The palace grounds include the Sunken Garden and connect directly to the open spaces of Kensington Gardens.
The building evolved from a 17th-century house into a royal palace through additions and refurbishments and has been the birthplace and home of several monarchs. Management balances public access to historic rooms with the privacy needs of current residents.
Located in west London within Kensington Gardens, the palace is a short walk from High Street Kensington and Notting Hill and is served by multiple Underground stations.
- Residence and Museum: The palace is both a working royal residence and a public historic site; some apartments are occupied by members of the royal family while State Rooms and exhibitions are open to visitors for a fee.
- Administration: The palace is administered by an independent public trust that runs exhibitions, guided tours and special displays about the lives of former royal residents.
What to See #
- State Apartments: The State Apartments, a sequence of formal rooms used for public display and museum exhibitions that include period furniture, portraits and decorative arts associated with the palace's royal occupants.
- Sunken Garden: The Sunken Garden, a formal walled garden to the palace's south restored and associated in recent years with public floral displays and commemorative plantings.
How to Get to Kensington Palace #
Kensington Palace is in Kensington Gardens, west London. The nearest London Underground station is High Street Kensington (Circle and District lines), about a 5-10 minute walk along Kensington High Street or through the gardens; Gloucester Road (Circle, District, Piccadilly) and Queensway (Central) are also within a 10-15 minute walk.
Numerous London buses run along Kensington High Street and the surrounding roads; if driving use the A315 (Kensington High Street) but be aware of congestion and limited parking.
Tips for Visiting Kensington Palace #
- Prebook timed tickets for the State Rooms and major exhibitions, then arrive early; the palace grounds and Kensington Gardens are free so arriving before the ticketed rooms opens lets you enjoy the gardens without extra entry lines.
- Make time for the Sunken Garden and Diana memorial area-the gardens and exterior spaces are often quieter than the State Rooms and are an important part of the visit, especially in spring and summer.
- Use nearby tube stations (High Street Kensington or Queensway) and enter via the gardens rather than the main road to enjoy a calmer approach and avoid heavier pedestrian flows from Kensington High Street.
Best Time to Visit Kensington Palace #
Visit Kensington Palace on weekday mornings in autumn through early spring for smaller crowds and a calmer visit.
Weather & Climate near Kensington Palace #
Kensington Palace's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 2°C to 23°C. Moderate rainfall (631 mm/year), distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 8°C and lows of 2°C. The wettest month with 62 mm of rain and mostly overcast skies.
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February
February is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of 2°C. Moderate rainfall (39 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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March
March is cold with highs of 11°C and lows of 3°C. Moderate rainfall (48 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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April
April is cold with highs of 13°C and lows of 5°C. Moderate rainfall (46 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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May
May is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 8°C. Moderate rainfall (49 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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June
June is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 11°C. Moderate rainfall (54 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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July
July is the warmest month with highs of 23°C and lows of 13°C. Moderate rainfall (43 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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August
August is cool with highs of 23°C and lows of 13°C. Moderate rainfall (50 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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September
September is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 10°C. Moderate rainfall (57 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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October
October is cool with highs of 15°C and lows of 8°C. The wettest month with 62 mm of rain and mostly overcast skies.
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November
November is cold with highs of 11°C and lows of 4°C. Moderate rainfall (61 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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December
December is cold with highs of 9°C and lows of 3°C. Moderate rainfall (60 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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