Kensington Palace in London
is a working Royal residence. Of great historical importance, Kensington Palace
was the favorite residence of successive sovereigns until 1760. It was also the
birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria. Today Kensington Palace
accommodates the offices and private apartments of a number of members of the
Royal Family. Although managed by Historic Royal Palaces, the Palace is
furnished with items from the Royal Collection.
The King's Gallery, Kensington Palace
In
1689 William III bought the Jacobean mansion originally known as Nottingham
House from his Secretary of State, the Earl of Nottingham, and commissioned
Christopher Wren to extend and improve the house. This included the construction
of Royal Apartments for the King and Queen, a council chamber, the Chapel Royal
and the Great Stairs. A private road was laid out from the Palace to Hyde Park
Corner, wide enough for three or four carriages to travel abreast down it, part
of which survives today as Rotten Row. Until the death of George II in 1760,
Kensington Palace was the favorite residence of successive sovereigns.
Queen Victoria was born and brought up in the Palace and news of her accession
in 1837 was brought to her there by the Lord Chamberlain and the Archbishop of
Canterbury. It had been expected that Victoria would reign from either
Kensington or St James's Palace but almost immediately she moved to Buckingham
Palace and never again stayed at Kensington.
Queen Mary (grandmother of the present Queen) was born at Kensington in 1867.
The Duke of Edinburgh stayed there in his grandmother's apartment in 1947
between his engagement and his marriage.
A display of The Queen's dresses from the early years
of her reign housed today in Kensington Palace, home of the Royal Ceremonial
Dress Collection
Today
Kensington contains the offices and London residences of Princess Alice, Duchess
of Gloucester and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, The Duke and Duchess of
Kent and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. Princess Margaret and Diana,
Princess of Wales used to live in Kensington Palace and have their offices
there.
Historic parts of Kensington Palace are open to the public. Kensington Palace is
also home to the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, with items of Royal,
ceremonial and court dress dating from the 18th century to the present day.
