The Kingston Palace is the royal residence of the British Royal Family and has been around since the 17th century. It is located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. Currently, it is the official residence of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Duke and Duchess of Kent, as well as Prince and Princess of Kent. Visitors to London can stay close to the royalty in one of the several hotels near Kensington Palace.
Construction of the Palace
Sir George Coppin constructed the building in 1605. At the time, the building was a two-levelmansion called the Nottingham House. Heneage Finch, the first Earl of Nottingham, bought the building in 1619. He stayed with the building for the next 70 years. In 1689, the new monarchs, William and Mary, sought to have an alternative resident to their Whitehall Palace and bought the property.
Once bought by the royal family, the building was expanded to create additional rooms and amenities for the royalty. Famous artists and architects came to work on the project and were led by Christopher Wren. He added a three-story pavilion on each corner of the building. Once the work was completed by the start of 1690, the building changed the name from Nottingham house to Kensington Palace and has remained the preferred official residence for the royal family for 70 years.
Alterations over the Years
A fire gutted a part of the building in 1691 and led to the extension of the official apartments. Later, a Kings and Queens Gallery was added to the palace. The space holds the resident’s favourite works of art from the Royal Collection. The two galleries are now open to the public and give a comprehensive look at works of art for over four hundred years. The palace is also the birthplace of the famous Queen Victoria.
This building is open to tourists apart from the official residence of the royal family, the rest. Given its vast collection of historical artefacts and elements of culture, it has become one of the most visited attractions in London. Visitors staying in hotels near Kensington Palace have the chance to explore the British royal history that goes back over hundreds of years.
pic by:
Di Steve Cadman from London, U.K. – Kensington Palace, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2782653
Di Jan Kip – Jan Kip, Pubblico dominio, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1542219
West London Explorer 