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Audio guide

Kensington Palace

A Royal Retreat from the Stuart Era to Modern Times

Kensington Palace

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Welcome to Kensington Palace

1m 15s

Kensington Palace • Section 1 of 5

Welcome to Kensington Palace, a remarkable landmark nestled in the heart of Kensington Gardens that has served as a royal residence since the late seventeenth century. You are standing at a site that began its life as a much more modest Jacobean mansion known as Nottingham House, built in sixteen hundred and five. The story of the palace we see today truly began in sixteen hundred and eighty-nine, when the joint monarchs King William the Third and Queen Mary the Second purchased the house for twenty thousand pounds. They were looking for a home away from the damp, smoggy environment of Whitehall Palace because the King suffered from severe asthma. Over the next three centuries, this country retreat evolved into the grand brick residence you see now, becoming the birthplace of Queen Victoria and a home for some of the most famous figures in modern royal history. As you begin your walk, take a moment to imagine this once-rural landscape as it was before the city of London grew to surround it.

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Quick answer

What does this Kensington Palace audio guide explain?

Welcome to Kensington Palace, a remarkable landmark nestled in the heart of Kensington Gardens that has served as a royal residence since the late seventeenth century. You are standing at a site that began its life as a much more modest Jacobean mansion known as Nottingham House, built in sixteen hundred and five.

Inside this guide

  1. 01Welcome to Kensington PalaceWelcome to Kensington Palace: Welcome to Kensington Palace, a remarkable landmark nestled in the heart of Kensington Gardens that has served as a royal residence since the late seventeenth century.
  2. 02Wren’s Grand Design and the Georgian CourtWren’s Grand Design and the Georgian Court: When William and Mary took over, they did not just move in; they transformed the house using the era’s greatest architect, Sir Christopher Wren.
  3. 03Victoria: The Lonely Princess of KensingtonVictoria: The Lonely Princess of Kensington: Kensington Palace is perhaps most famous as the childhood home of Queen Victoria, who was born here in eighteen hundred and nineteen.
  4. 04The People's Princess and the Sunken GardenThe People's Princess and the Sunken Garden: In more recent history, Kensington Palace became known worldwide as the official residence of Diana, Princess of Wales, who lived in apartments eight and nine for sixteen years until her death in nineteen hundred and ninety-seven.
  5. 05Secrets of the Palace GardensSecrets of the Palace Gardens: As you finish your tour of the state rooms, do not forget to explore the wider Kensington Gardens. For a perfect end to your visit, stroll over to the Orangery, a stunning structure designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor for Queen Anne in seventeen hundred and four, originally meant to house citrus trees during the cold winter months.

Common questions

What does this free Kensington Palace audio guide include?

It covers Welcome to Kensington Palace, Wren’s Grand Design and the Georgian Court, Victoria: The Lonely Princess of Kensington, and The People's Princess and the Sunken Garden, with practical context and details to notice during the visit.

What should I notice first at Kensington Palace?

Start with Welcome to Kensington Palace. The guide then connects Wren’s Grand Design and the Georgian Court, Victoria: The Lonely Princess of Kensington, and The People's Princess and the Sunken Garden to the place, so you know what to look for on site.

What can I ask Mappu after this Kensington Palace guide?

You can continue with follow-up questions such as "How did King William the Third and Queen Mary the Second change the palace's appearance?", then keep the guide connected to your map and trip plan.