Apart from Her Majesty’s formal London residence at Buckingham Palace, few other such buildings could hold themselves to be in the same league and be held in the same esteem as this iconic place. However, one such building firmly holds its head up high as one of the most beautiful and attractive attractions available in our amazing capital.
Kensington Palace has been a prestigious residence of the British Royal family since it was acquired by them back in the 17th century. Amongst the most famous members it has accommodated are such public figureheads as the late Diana, Princess of Wales, Princess Margaret and Princess Alice. During the 1700s, the palace was considerably favoured as the official residence of the reigning monarchs for 70 years from William the 3rd to George the 2nd. After George’s death, the family moved on to the more prestigious Buckingham Palace which is one of the most visited attractions in London by tourists today.
Today, it houses the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Kent and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. Visitors are welcomed and encouraged to visit the many exhibitions and facilities available in the historic section of the Palace. For instance, why not come and see the ‘Court Mantua’ exhibition; here you can witness firsthand the beautifully elegant but incredibly uncomfortable fashions and styles that were worn by the ladies of nobility back in the Regency times. The most stand-out feature of these dresses being that they were fantastically wide and were considered the ‘uniform’ to be worn by all women of the court.
Take in the wonderful series of rooms that is affectionately known as ‘The King’s Gallery’. Here you will get the esteemed honour of seeing some of the regency’s most prestigious paintings; the most famous being the depiction of King Charles the 1st sitting on horseback. This painting resides in the east end of the room. Another feature of this room is the wind dial above the fireplace which was connected to its counterpart on the roof so that King William could see just in what direction the harsh and unforgiving wind his naval fleets were being sent. Amazingly, this particular feature of the room still works as perfectly today as it did back then.
Visitor are also encourage to cast their eyes upon the last room that Queen Victoria stayed in, in her youth, before she found out that she had ascended to the throne. What is very interesting to note is that Victoria’s mother was always very protective of her and until she became queen had always spent the night in her bedroom.
One of the main attractions of Kensington Palace is the magnificent gardens which adjoin to the building itself. What better way to round of a visit to the palace than by visiting the fantastic and enchanting gardens that adorn the grounds.
Whatever you decide to do on your fantastic visit to this place of esteemed history and beauty, be sure that there will be a pink, white or black limousine to take you, courtesy of us here at Lux Limos.