Kensington Palace is divided into two parts: a private wing where current members of the Royal family live (like Will, Kate and the utterly squeezable George) and the public section. There are 4 separate public sections of Kensington Palace that you can explore: the Queen’s State Apartments, the King’s State Apartments, Victoria Revealed and a section on the fashion of the modern royals (from HM the Queen in the 1950s to Diana).
I think I found the Victoria Revealed section to be the most fascinating. It was such a privilege to be in the room where she held her first Privy Council, and I’m so moved by the love that she and Albert shared. (Since Victoria was the Queen, she had to ask Albert to marry her, because it would have been to presumptuous for him to ask the Queen’s hand in marriage. Go Vicky!) It didn’t hurt that there was also an exhibit on how the Crystal Palace was one of the achievements Albert was most proud of, and you know how I love the Crystal Palace!
The Queen’s State Apartments are centered around Queen Anne and Queen Mary II, whose lives were mired with tragedy; whilst the King’s Apartments are centered around George I and George II.
And then getting to see the Royal fashion exhibit was an absolute treat! I had read about it but thought that it was a separate fee, so it was to my great delight that I was wrong! Some of the Queen’s ballgowns from the 50s are glorious; and the amount of detail in them is mind-blowing. Where as Princess Margret’s 70s ensembles are pretty wild in comparison. And then the exhibit moves on to Diana, and it’s amazing to get to see some of the outfits she wore that I remember seeing in the newspapers as a kid.
Princess Di’s famous red dress.
Maybe I didn’t get to hold George, but at least I got a snuggle with William.
The Orangery which is arguably the best afternoon tea in London.
Have you been to Kensington Palace before? Who is your favourite royal fashion icon?
