Kensington Palace

While the royal living quarters are off-limits, a large portion of the palace, designed in part by Christopher Wren, is open to the public. Highlights of Kensington Palace include the 16th-century King's Staircase, painted by William Kent; the King's Drawing Room; the Cupola Room; Queen Mary's State Apartments; and Queen Caroline's Cabinet of Curiosities, as well as the landscaped sunken garden. Artworks and artifacts from the Royal Collection are also displayed within.

Visit with a priority-access ticket to save time, or book a Royal Palaces Pass that allows entry to three other royal London attractions: Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, and Hampton Court Palace. Some tours to Buckingham Palace also stop by Kensington Palace, while others pair a palace visit with an afternoon tea experience in the gardens.

• Admission lines can be long in summer, especially for special exhibitions, so it's best to book priority-entrance Kensington Palace tickets in advance.

• The palace is home to regularly updated exhibits, including those which touch on royal fashion and more.

• Free Wi-Fi is available on-site.

• Most areas of the palace are wheelchair accessible and concession tickets are available.

• Travelers who are blind or partially sighted may request a described tour of Kensington Palace; those who are deaf or hard of hearing can take a British Sign Language tour.

Kensington Palace is located in Kensington Gardens, at the west end of Hyde Park in central London. The nearest tube stations are Queensway and High Street Kensington, each about a 10-minute walk from the palace. Some tours provide transportation to Kensington Palace.

Kensington Palace is open year-round from Wednesday to Sunday and special events are held throughout the year, including fashion exhibits, the open-air Luna Cinema in August, and Queen Caroline's annual garden parties. Arrive early to beat the crowds, or stop by midweek.

The birthplace of Queen Victoria, Kensington Palace was originally known as Nottingham House when it was built in 1605 and has long been a home base for British royals. After suffering damages during the Blitz, Kensington Palace fell into disrepair before once again finding favor among younger and minor royals. Nowadays, it's the London base of Prince William and Kate Middleton. And those famous gardens? They were redeveloped by Queen Caroline in the 18th century with the help of royal gardener Charles Bridgeman.

Yes, a tour of Kensington Palace is worth it. The palace offers after-hours Crown to Couture tours, which let you explore the royal residence without the crowds and provide you with tales and trivia that you’d likely miss out on if you explored alone. They also give more detailed insight into the fashion exhibition on show until October 2023.

A self-guided tour of Kensington Palace takes around one hour—there's plenty of signage to explain each of the rooms, which have been home to British royals for more than 300 years. The Crown and Couture tour of Kensington Palace takes 90 minutes, but you must arrive 15 minutes before your tour starts.

No, there is no dress code for Kensington Palace. Wear comfortable shoes to make walking around the palace a breeze, and bring some lightweight layers to put on if you plan on exploring Kensington Gardens. You can’t take large luggage inside the palace, and there’s nowhere to store suitcases.

On a self-guided tour of Kensington Palace, you’ll see the King’s and Queen’s State Apartments and the Victoria Revealed permanent exhibition. This exhibition is set in the rooms the monarch lived in as a child and explores the life and reign of Queen Victoria, who was born at the palace. You’ll also see a collection of royal fashion.

Yes, there are restrooms at Kensington Palace for ticket holders. There are accessible toilets at Stone Hall and restrooms at the café at the palace and the Piggott Galleries. There are also baby change facilities.

Kensington Palace is open from Wednesday through Sunday–it's closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. It's open from mid-morning until early evening, and the last entry is one hour before closing. The Sunken Garden follows the same opening hours as the palace, but the last admission is 15 minutes before closing.