If you hop-off our Blue route bus stop 70, you can buy a ticket off a member of our staff to visit Kensington Palace. The Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century. Queen Victoria was born here in 1819. It was always thought that Victoria would rule from Kensington Palace or St James’s Palace but she surprised everyone when she announced in 1837 that she would be moving into Buckingham Palace. That started a very long, happy association with her new home (she adored Buckingham Palace) and she never again stayed at Kensington Palace.

The royal connections continued with Queen Mary (grandmother of our Queen) being born here in 1867 and her grand-daughter, the Queen’s sister Princess Margaret living here until her death in 2002.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana moved here in 1981 after they were married at St Paul’s and at one time Kensington Palace was home to Prince William and Prince Harry when they were children. Today it is the official residence of The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester; the Duke and Duchess of Kent; and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.

Certain historic parts of Kensington Palace are open to the public. The palace is home to the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection which displays collections from the 18th century to the present day. There is also the exhibition Diana -                A Princess Remembered.

There are many places to eat and drink close by and why not combine your palace visit with a walk around Kensington Gardens, one of London’s most beautiful royal parks.