Kensington Palace is the official residence of the English kings since the 17th century. Today, part of the palace is open to the public.
Palace History
It was built in the XVII century and belonged to the Earl of Nottingham at that time. Later, the palace was bought from the heirs of Count William III, who needed a country residence near the capital - closer than the famous Hampton Court, but at the same time outside the city, which already had a lot of smoke and burning, and the king suffered from asthma. A private road was laid from Hyde Park to the palace, quite wide, several carriages could ride along it. Part of the road is still preserved in Hyde Park. It is called Rotten Rowe.
For many years, Kensington Palace has been a favorite residence of the kings of England. From the beginning of the 18th century, younger princes and other members of the royal family began to live here. At one time, Kensington Palace, a photo of which can be seen in the official chronicle, was the residence of Princess Diana.
Interior decoration
Kensington Palace in London keeps the history of three centuries of the British monarchy and its most prominent representatives - Princess Diana and Queen Victoria, who was born in this palace and spent the first twenty years of her life in it. Today, a permanent exhibition is dedicated to this. On it you can get acquainted with the hobbies of the future ruler, see the toys with which she played in childhood, and even consider her toilets.
One of the most famous attractions of Kensigton Palace is the royal staircase. It features unique paintings on the walls. On them you can see how King George I was resting surrounded by his yard. Among the courtiers, the artist portrayed himself in a brown turban and with a palette of colors. It is curious that the paintings depict the servants of the king of Turkey, the "wild boy" who was found in the forests of Germany, Yemeni guards.
The royal staircase leads to the pompous and luxurious apartments of the king, or to the Grand Chambers, as they are often called. Kensington Palace inside is a real museum, where priceless relics of the crown of Great Britain are collected.
Reception Hall
Kensington Palace in London holds one of the most important relics - a unique gilded armchair of the son of George II - Frederick. It is stored in the reception room. There is a Chamber of Secrets decorated with magnificent tapestries. There is also a round room. It is considered the most richly decorated in the palace. The culmination of the suite of palace halls is considered to be the Royal drawing room, which was visited by the courtiers at a meeting with the king. According to legend, in this room-gallery, William III played with his own nephew in the soldiers. Here he caught a bad cold, fell ill with pneumonia and died prematurely.
Queen's Apartments
Every year, thousands of tourists seek to visit Kensington Palace. Queen's apartments are a popular attraction.
These are private rooms created in the 17th century for the wife of King William III - Mary II. The ruling couple went to live in the palace to be away from the hustle and bustle of the capital.
Since those very ancient times, the chambers have not changed much, so visitors have a unique opportunity to see the interiors in which the royal couple received guests, relaxed, and had fun.
The part of the palace that belonged to the Queen begins with the Queen's staircase. It is decorated a little easier than the King’s staircase. Going down her, the queen immediately fell into her favorite Dutch-style gardens. A floor above is a gallery created for the recreation of Mary II.
Here she was surrounded by embroidered silk curtains, Turkish carpets, and magnificent oriental china. The Queen loved to read and do needlework in this luxurious room.
In the Queen’s gallery you can see the portrait of Peter I. This is the work of the artist Gottfried Kneller. The Russian Tsar visited Kensington Palace (Great Britain). The great emperor admired European progress.
Wardrobe of Kings
Entering the next door, you will find yourself in a royal wardrobe. His story is mostly connected with the name of the younger sister of Mary - Anna Stewart.
Living room
This royal room reflects the fascination of the crowned lady with oriental china. Here is a unique collection of exhibits brought from China and Japan.
Kensington Palace - Modern History
Nowadays, the palace was the residence of one of the most beautiful couples of the royal family - Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Here lived the magnificent Lady Dee after the divorce and before the tragic death. What is surprising: little princes went to the next kindergarten. The palace’s apartments, which are considered personal, belong to the Royal Courtyard, while the front rooms are open to tourists and served by a special agency that handles all the royal palaces.
A park
Even if you fail to enter Kensington Palace, a photo of which you can see in our article, take a walk in the park surrounding the palace. It is adjacent to the world famous Hyde Park and is one of the most picturesque royal parks. It is not as blooming as Regent's Park, but it also has very nice corners.
The park has its own greenhouse, where you can get acquainted with the ritual of English tea drinking, here you can also walk along shady alleys and at a large pond. For its shape, it was called Round.
In this amazing park you can see a statue of Peter Pan and a playground, which is protected by a 900-year-old oak tree with elves living on it. The grandiose construction of the park (of course, after the palace) is a memorial to Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. On her orders, after the death of her husband, a 54-meter statue was erected, which strikes with expensive finishes. The memorial was built for about 10 years, more than 10 million pounds in its current equivalent was spent on it. Its discovery took place in 1872.
Near the memorial is the famous Royal Albert Hall. It hosts all the important cultural events of the British capital, social concerts. You can also enter Albert Hall with an excursion group. It will cost you 12 pounds.
You can explore Kensington Palace for 15 pounds (children under 16 can enter for free). This magnificent palace and Albert Hall are some of the most visited attractions in the British capital.
Kensington Palace. Kate Middleton
After adding to the royal family (the birth of Prince George), Kate Middleton and Prince William decided to move to the 20-room apartments of Kensington Palace.
But suddenly the young family ran into a problem - there was no serious repair in the building since the 60s of the last century. The famous family before moving planned to bring this luxurious, but dilapidated housing in proper form.
Construction companies received a half million pounds for their work. Part of the huge amount was taken from the state treasury. The royal family spent their own money on interior decoration and furniture. I must say that the amount turned out to be considerable. She could have become even bigger if Elizabeth had generously not given Katherine and William the right to choose any furniture and paintings from the royal collection. But the young mistress did not want to turn her future apartments into a museum - Kensington Palace. Kate Middleton decided to add some variety to the interior. She complemented the antique furniture deliberately with modern items.
According to many, such a mix looks rather risky, but the Duchess of Cambridge achieved this effect . Curious fact: Kate firmly decided not to hire a professional designer, so the interior of the new housing is a figment of her imagination. As a result, in the living room of Kensington Palace, unique antique armchairs and tables are adjacent to the bright pillows made of artificial leather, which were purchased in a nearby supermarket. Naturally, as soon as it became known what thing the duchess had brought her attention to (for example, a 10-pound decorative pillow), the level of sales of this product skyrocketed.