Tickets

Plan your visit

Tickets, the journey there, a route through the palace and where to stay nearby.

This is an independent guide. Check the official Historic Royal Palaces website for today’s opening times and any closures before you travel.

Opening times

Summer: daily, 10am to 6pm (last entry 5pm). Hours change by season.

Getting there

High Street Kensington or Queensway Tube, then about a 10-minute walk.

How long to allow

About two hours, more with Kensington Gardens.

Tickets

Adults £20.60, children (under 16) £10.30. Prices vary by date.

Tickets

Palace and state apartments

The standard day ticket. Book ahead in summer and school holidays.

Adults £20.60, children (under 16) £10.30. Prices vary by date.

Check availability

Booked through GetYourGuide

Guided walk with afternoon tea

A guided walk through Kensington’s royal story, finished with afternoon tea.

See tour dates

Booked through GetYourGuide

Getting there

By Tube

  • High Street Kensington (Circle and District lines): about 10 minutes’ walk through Kensington Gardens.
  • Queensway (Central line): about 10 minutes’ walk.
  • Notting Hill Gate (Central, Circle and District lines): about 20 minutes’ walk.

By bus

Buses 94, 148 and 274 stop on Bayswater Road. Buses 9, 49, 52, 70 and 452 stop on Kensington High Street.

By car

There is no public parking at the palace. Q-Park Queensway and the car park on Bayswater Road are about 10 minutes’ walk away. Blue Badge holders can book on-site parking in advance with the palace.

A route through the palace

Our suggested order for about two hours.

  1. The King’s Staircase, painted by William Kent
  2. The King’s State Apartments, including the Cupola Room and the King’s Gallery
  3. The Queen’s State Apartments, from William and Mary’s time
  4. The rooms where Victoria grew up
  5. The Sunken Garden and the Orangery
  6. A walk in Kensington Gardens

Stay in Kensington

Kensington High Street is a short walk south, Bayswater has good-value rooms along the park, and Notting Hill is just to the north.

Questions visitors ask

Are Kensington Gardens free?

Yes. Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park are free royal parks. You only need a ticket for the palace itself.

Do the royal family still live here?

Yes. Kensington Palace is still a royal residence and the London office of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Their apartments are private; the state apartments are open to visitors.

Is Kensington Palace good for children?

Children under 16 pay half price, and Kensington Gardens next door has the Diana Memorial Playground and plenty of space to run.

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