Kensington Palace

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Kensington Palace
This article is based on real experience of a family of four visiting Kensington Palace.

Today, Kensington Palace is clearly associated with the late Diana, Princess of Wales but this is only one of the many reasons why you should pay a visit. When we think of Diana we think of a modern day princess and perhaps don't associate her with the bygone days of previous Kings and Queens of England.

If you want to see lifestyles and tastes of previous monarchs visit Kensington Palace, the birthplace of Queen Victoria in 1819. It was also there that the 18-year-old Princess Victoria was awoken in June 1837 by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Chamberlain, and informed of the death of her uncle, William IV, and her accession to the throne. In addition. King William III died there in 1702, Queen Anne died there in 1714, George I in 1727, and George II in 1760, but its history goes beyond that.

Like many Royal Palaces that exist today, these grand buildings were not designed and built as a home for our Monarchs. Although for more than 300 years, royals have lived there in very grand style, the original building was in fact called Nottingham House, it needed extensive work and some 12 years of renovation by no less than Sir Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor.

These two highly regarded architects were commissioned by King William III and Queen Mary to convert it into a proper palace, fit for the King & Queen of England.

The Royal Family have thrown open the doors so that their public may visit a major landmark in the history of England's monarchy, so what do we get for our money?

The State Apartments, including the late Princess Margaret's rooms are on show on the first floor. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent have apartments here, albeit very much private ones.

A tour of Kensington Palace takes us beyond the lives of modern day royals to those of other historic reigns, each leaving their stamp on the palace.

As you first enter the reception, you are greeted by staff in what I would describe as concierge uniforms or a practical working version of the household staff of Buckingham Palace. You will encounter security and expect searches. You are, after all visiting a Royal Palace. Armed with a hand-held audible tour guide, you begin your visit.

Initially you would be forgiven for thinking you are in a museum, you are on the Garden Floor and enter the Red Saloon and Teck Saloon, where the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection displays garments dating to the 18th century. State and occasional dresses, hats, shoes, and gloves from the present Queen's wardrobe are on display. It is here where you learn of the hard work in simple tasks like getting dressed! The etiquette, pomp and ceremony as well as the written rules of behaviour for courtiers.

Moving away from a totally different world into one many of us are familiar, is a display of a dozen stunning dresses belonging to Diana. Any one of these garments will evoke memories of the princess among the ever present flashing cameras of the paparazzi.

As we leave the Diana collection, through another door and around a corner, it becomes very much apparent that we are indeed in a Royal Palace.

This is where I would suggest the tour of Kensington Palace really begins. Nobody could fail to be impressed at The King's Grand Staircase, maybe not the stairs themselves but the superb trompe-l'oeil paintings by William Kent showing courtiers looking down upon us as if we have just entered the palace as a royal visitor.

Kensington Palace King's Grand Staircase

Ascend the stairs...carefully because you will be busy admiring the painted decoration.

We enter The Presence Chamber, generally used for formal receptions, the room painted with mythical gods in the Italian "grotesque" style,and packed with paintings.

In contrast to The Presence Chamber follows the more intimate Privy Chamber, the entire room appears to be far more tranquil and relaxed. The Mortlake tapestries are a stunning depiction of the seasons and were commissioned by Charles I. As always the ceilings are a work of art by themselves, in this case they represent status of monarchs. This room is small bt comparison as was used by Queen Victory and Prince Albert to dine privately. Despite their high status, in private they enjoyed the simple foods and ale. We now approach the Cupola Room, once again looking up at the ceiling it appears to be a dome, in fact it is an illusion and as flat as most ceilings. It was in this room where Princess Victoria was christened seats are conspicuous by their absence, why? because only the monarch would have been seated. When this beautiful building functioned only as a palace, the royal visitor would only be invited beyond the Presence Room as a mark of status.

We then enter the rooms where Victoria had her very strict upbringing, now restored with items that belonged to her and Prince Albert. In these bedrooms and dressing rooms there is a sense of being 'lived in' as opposed to the grandeur of the state rooms. But originally they were part of the former King's Apartments.

We move through The King's Gallery, into the private apartments of Queen Anne, and later of Queen Mary with rich red damask walls and gilding.
As we entered up The King's Grand Staircase, we leave down The Queen's Staircase, These lead into the garden and yet another extremely impressive feature of Kensington Palace.

Before visiting the gardens, make sure you visit the souvenir shop. Your visit cannot be complete with a stroll to the Orangery, built for Queen Anne, and the venue of many a royal family parties; enjoy a cup of tea before admiring the Sunken Garden with its fountains and Tudor design that echoes Hampton Court.