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Kensington Gardens
Kensington Gardens and its palace are inextricably linked to the life of the beloved Princess Diana. The palace also served as the residence of British monarchs in earlier times and the walls of the building could certainly reveal some secrets.
History of the park
The gardens adjoin Hyde Park to the west. The two green spaces are separated only by the road West Carriage Drive. At one time, the 111-acre park was part of Hyde Park. William III and Mary II acquired the gardens along with Kensington Palace, which they made their London residence. King William wanted to cure his asthma in the gardens and so the grounds were no longer open to visitors. The ruling couple had the Italian Gardens created on the north side of the park.
Kensington Palace is one of the main sights in the park. Between 1689 and 1760, the building served as the private residence of the British monarchs. In the year 1819, the future Queen Victoria was born in the palace. Later Charles and Diana as well as Princess Margaret resided here. Diana lived in Kensington Palace until her death in 1997.
In the footsteps of Princess Diana
Following extensive renovation, exhibitions within the premises have been providing insights into the life of Queen Victoria since early 2012. On another floor of the building, an exhibition provides information about Princess Diana's life.
In honour of Diana, a fountain was erected in the park, the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. Since its opening in 2004, the memorial to the Queen of Hearts has been one of the park's visitor magnets. The fountain is located on the Diana Memorial Walk, an 11-kilometre-long path that leads through Kensington Gardens, among other places. Various stops along the way provide information about Diana's life. Especially popular is the Diana Memorial Playground, a true play paradise for children.
The Albert Memorial
With the Albert Memorial, a monument in honour of the monarch was built between 1864 and 1876. Queen Victoria had an impressive monument in neo-gothic style created in honour of her husband who died at an early age. Under a stone canopy, Albert sits with a catalogue of the Great Exhibition, which took place in London in 1851.
Particularly popular with children is the Peter Pan statue near the Italian Gardens. Almost every English child knows the statue, of the boy who never wanted to grow up.
